Uncertain Feelings
by Apherion
Summary: There is something beneath the skin...and it confuses everytime it's seen...KakaSaku R&R I take flames
1. Part 1 Chapter 1

_Pre-Story: Dissing Disclaimers:_

_Me (duh!):God this is gay._

_Disclaimer:You have to do it._

_Me: No, I don't._

_Disclaimer: Yup, I think you do._

_Me: Note to self- Never hire disclaimers to help you begin you story by saying you didn't own the characters that you happen to torture in strange ways, the pictures that have influenced this very much (Go to_http/ compliment the artist who inspired my work for this fic.This person's a very good artistso please make him/her feel loved!), and never, ever admit that you know the Disclaimers' Office personally; everyone there are weirdos. 

_Disclaimer: No fair, cruel person! Ok, I'm starting it then._

_Me: Wrong, Let's begin_

_lights black out and fade slowly to the story_

Uncertain Feelings

Part 1

By: Apherion

Chapter 1: Remembrance

Sakura looked outside the window of the Academy of Ninjas. She sighed heavily, she had studied hard, and she didn't want to be put with a low-grade group. Team 7 loomed before her very eyes as she paced back and forth inside her mind's eye.

She could just see it; a rather pompous, up-turned nose would look at her like she was dirt. Another pair of hungry eyes would stare relentlessly at her, as if she was the idol of their affection. And then the teacher would be some run-down jounin who couldn't tell time and would always be late. She sighed wearily once more and sneezed.

"Bless you," a cheery voice said to her. He had whiskery cheeks for a twelve-year-old. Blond haired and blue eyed too, by the looks of it. She bore into his soul, looking through ocean blue windows that became doors for her.

He craves power, hm…she mused. He kept her gaze from wondering and she heard her other personality scream at her that one of her predictions were correct. He introduced himself while a black haired boy discreetly entered the room.

"Naruto," the blond boy said, smiling widely at her as he extended a hand. "And the rude lump over there is Sasuke. But you don't want anything to do with him; he'll just think you're inferior like everyone else." The boy called Naruto whispered to her as if to conceal the very thing he just let slip.

But Sakura paid no heed to Naruto's little warning, and went over to where Sasuke had plopped himself in a desk.

She had heard of this boy, though she had never seen him or the blond boy she had been partnered with.

"Hi," she said brightly, blushing at his aloof demeanor, yet gorgeous looks.

"What do you want?" He said it rather than asked and Sakura yet again was getting a 'telling to' about that another of her predictions had come true. Now, she thought bitterly, is the teacher. Sakura sat down, straightening the hem of her red training dress. Naruto was bouncing around; much to Sakura's thinning patience.

"Naruto, stay still," she hissed, quickly losing her temper. After a few moments more of being ignored, she hopped to her feet and took the boy by the ear.

"Ow, Sakura, that hurts!" The blond boy cried out in pain as she tugged him to a chair.

"Settle down and sit," she ordered. Surprisingly he obeyed. She nodded at that and took her own seat. She looked at the clock, ticking slowly to quarter till four. Ugh, where the hell is this jounin? I'm beginning that I was correct about all three of these guys. She impatiently tapped a beat with hands on the tabletop. _Thud, click-click, thud-thud, tip-tap, click-clack_, her nails had joined in with it. She stopped her attack on the desk when she heard the door begin to slide itself open. She jumped to her feet and glared furiously at the man entering the room, not really seeing him.

"Finally you get here, what took you so long?" Naruto tactlessly said in his annoyingly loud voice. Their sensei entered the room fully as Sakura apologized almost out of habit.

"I'm sorry, Sensei for Naruto's incapacity of holding himself together for a couple of hours," she bowed low, blushing lightly, utterly embarrassed. Sasuke said nothing, just stared indifferently at the man.

"Yo," the man said, in a tone just as apathetic as Sasuke. He didn't even regard Sakura's apology; nonetheless did he accept it. Did he always wear that mask? Naruto was just happy that their sensei had arrived. Sakura sighed heavily, knowing that it was going to be awhile until everything was done here. Everything started from there, and the ever present feeling of familiarity of her sensei constantly loomed over her. And yet...she couldn't place him for the life of her.

* * *

"Sakura, Ino to Sakura, come in Sakura," Ino playfully teased her friend while Hinata giggled. The three of them had joined for lunch at a ramen café that Naruto had recommended to them. 

"Huh," Sakura's eyes began to focus for they had been vague of anything for a minute or so. "How long was I out?"

"Mm, not long," Hinata said softly. How Hinata could stand to be with her or Ino, Sakura would never know. Yet, Sakura loved having her around, despite the fact that Hinata was quite introverted and blushed at any mention of her.

"Oh, good," Sakura smiled sheepishly at her two friends. "I'm sorry, I was just-"

"Remembering, yeah, we know," Ino's intrusive attitude wasn't something hard to forget, but that's what Sakura liked about her.

Sakura, though... she was a bit of everything, silent yet violent, loud but scheming, clever though naïve. Out of her fifteen years of life, she'd never believe that she had become the fifth Hokage's apprentice and a medic-nin. If her parents could see her now, I miss them.

"Hey, you weren't remembering them were you?" 'Them' were her parents and she nodded, but quickly added.

"Just for a second though, you know it'll be their eleventh year from Konoha, right?" Hinata and Ino looked at each other worriedly.

"And you say you still don't remember who took care of you during your…um, younger years of life?" Her friends were talking about from age four to eleven.

"No, I remember nothing before or a year after the accident. All I know is that when I was twelve, Tsunade-sama took me under her wing, and even that year is hazy." The accident in question took place when Sakura was ten. It took away all of her memories of her guardian from age four to age eleven, practically all of her childhood had been erased. She only knew one thing: her guardian had given her a branch from a cherry blossom tree with the tiny flowers still on it when the guardian first met her. Everything about the person had been blurred out from her, except for the cherry blossoms. Her green eyes shined with tears.

"I wish I knew! It frustrates me to no end! I want to be able to thank him or her for caring for me," she didn't bother to stifle or wipe away the tears, instead wearing them proudly like a soldier his medal. Footsteps were heard approaching and Sakura took a napkin to her face.

"Are you all right, Sakura?" Kakashi, unknown to the three girls, had heard the whole conversation, but didn't let on that he had.

"F-fine, Sen-sei," Sakura choked. She felt a hand grip her shoulder softly and knew whom it belonged to. She brushed at it, and he let her go.

"Sakura, if you're up to it, we'll be training at the usual spot." Sakura nodded and he walked away. He didn't sound like his normal, lazy self just then.

"Jesus, Sakura, I can't be_lieve_ you shared a campsite with that man since you were twelve," Ino said, as if checking out Hatake Kakashi.

"I cannot believe _you_! He was my _teacher_!" Sakura said, blushing lightly.

"See, you're even over Sasuke now too," Ino pointed out.

"I'm embarrassed for you and by you." Ino grinned devilishly as if to say 'you know you love it'. "Yes, I do." Sakura said, answering the unasked question. "But I have to go. Training," she added as if it were an excuse for what she was doing. Something said that could right her wrong. Ino and Hinata nodded, understanding perfectly. Sakura was just glad that Hinata kept Ino in check by starting a conversation with Ino immediately after Sakura stood. Hinata and Ino both knew that always got Sakura to immediately blush, almost as if it were a 'inside joke'.

* * *

"C'mon Sensei," Sakura challenged, yelling at her ex-teacher, "Fight me!" Their training session had only consisted of herself and the jounin, now reading the infamous book: _Icha, Icha Paradise_.

"Put that stupid book down for…" Sakura thought for a second. "Five minutes, please!" She saw his mysterious eye roll and he placed his slip of paper into the book, marking his place.

"Five minutes, Sakura," he said bored. "Then, I return to my book and you return home." At this, Sakura scowled.

"Do I _have to_ go home? Can't I just…" she immediately was refreshed of what Ino had said earlier.

_"Jesus, Sakura, I can't be**lieve** you shared a campsite with that man since you were twelve."_

Sakura stopped short of her pleading sentence only to blush a deep shade of crimson. Kakashi looked up at her and she made a quiet 'eep', afraid that he had heard her thoughts. Wait, she thought, trying to calm down. He can't do that…I don't think so at least, WA! I'm just going to say he can't and feel better being ignorant.

The heat in her face disappeared by the time Kakashi got to his feet. She felt a gloved hand on her pink-haired head and his hand wasn't just petting her like it usually did. She felt his strong fingers brush her scalp and squeeze lightly. She sighed and leaned into the touch, smiling. Too quick, his hand snatched back, away from her, leaving a sense of unsatisfied need.

"Kakashi-sensei," Sakura whispered absently, sort of begging him to continue.

"Five minutes," he repeated, and then disappeared, starting the chasing game of training. Sakura stood still, closing her eyes and mind, opening her ears, listening intently. She heard her signal: the air cutting by the faint whistling of the kunai. She jumped, flipping over the on-coming object. She landed knees bent, absorbing the ground's push.

She spun in place, letting loose one of her own knives, shooting it straight at Kakashi. She completely missed though. Scowling, she pursued the jounin, her target. She would reach him this time, he wasn't moving as fast as he ought to have been. He stopped, but she continued. He turned around and she froze stock-still, staring into his mismatched eyes.

The blood-red sharigan eye looked overly intense compared to the sluggish black eye. No, she thought rapidly, he wouldn't use it on me, not for the remaining three minutes. But this was Kakashi, and she felt the world slipping from her like the infatuation she had for the younger Uchiha.

She expected to be tortured, to be feeling knives plunge into her skin like she was their sheath. Then the new world came into focus. She would've taken the knives over what she saw. Her parents, eyes wide with shock, fear. Naruto, no matter how annoying, was still her friend; he was close to her heart. He was her brother, but he was mangled and some of his limbs had been torn off. Sasuke, her first crush, lay so broken and she cried harder, slumping to her knees. The scene changed, and she saw bloodstained silver hair. It was then she felt herself being dragged from the sight.

Her eyes opened, blood-shot and wild, looking around frantically, she remembered the image and her eyes slid out of focus for a second. She was afraid and she sat up. She looked at him, but didn't see him. It shook her completely. He took her face into his hands, his forehead protector back in place, covering his sharigan. Her green eyes locked with his unfathomable black eye. Tears swam in her view and she broke the hold on her face to hug her ex-teacher.

Kakashi held her to him, softly rubbing her back with one hand while his other brushed her hair. Sakura clung to him, helplessly crying. He soothed her softly; it felt familiar to her. Her tears dried eventually and she let him go. She eased herself away from him and she saw a new emotion-true, he hardly ever showed emotion-in his eye.

"Don't scare me like that," he said, smiling now. His glove hand rubbed her head and whipped out the perverted book again. Sakura stared then glowered at him. She went to knock the book from his hands when he grasped her wrist.

"Not for children under eighteen." Her face burned, she didn't want to read it. Her other hand connected with the top of the book and took hold of it, yanking it towards her. It broke from his grasp and she let out a triumphant cry.

"Sakura, give it back," his tone was low and even, threatening her not to obey him.

"I don't want to read this stupid book! I just want you to pay attention to me." It didn't come out like she had wanted, but it still worked to full effect.

"You have my full and undivided attention, now, give me the book." Sakura shook her head defiantly. He sighed heavily and sat down. She smiled, knowing she had just gotten her way with the stubborn yet lazy jounin. Ino's going to be so jealous, Sakura thought gleefully, and then her grin encountered a fault-line. I can't believe myself. First Ino, now me! That girl's a bad influence on Hinata and me.

"Besides sitting here and paying mind to you, what do you want me doing?" It was the first time Kakashi had been at her command; she had never experienced something like this before. She figured that she'd never be able to get to him, but here she was with him at her mercy. She walked closer to him and pushed his forehead protector down over his black eye.

"No peeking! I'm going to hide this and come back. Don't worry, you'll get it back and I won't be gone long." She heard him sigh when she turned around and she began to run in a zigzag pattern, throwing in a couple circles here and there. She tripped on accident and the book slipped from her hold. She stood rapidly and retrieved it, catching a glimpse of some rather erotic things. She flushed and began to shut the book when she noticed the bookmark.

A pair of large green eyes stared out from under a bath towel in her purple pajamas. A younger Kakashi was drying her hair, but Sakura couldn't see the color of the girl's hair, it was still wet. He wore his mask back then too. Sakura decided that she wouldn't remember where she hid the book, so she hid it carefully inside her training outfit.

"Took you long enough, now put my 'head-band' back in its usual spot." She giggled and did as he asked. "What is it that you want me to do now?"

"Tell me about the four-year-old girl you were taking care of in that picture that you use for a bookmarker." Whatever Kakashi had been expecting, that wasn't even on his list.

"I can't tell you about her," Kakashi said looking very uncomfortable. Sakura leaned in closer to him; he fidgeted a bit more. "Sorry Sakura, but Tsunade told me specifically not to tell you." Sakura looked at him like she had been defeated, but spoke threateningly.

"Tell me or I burn the book," she shot darkly. Kakashi shrugged indifferent. What would she have to do to get him to stop being like that?

"I can always get another one. It's quite easy if you know the creator." Sakura growled primitively and plunked herself down beside him.

"You," she thought for a moment so not as to curse at him. "Anger me to no end, you realize that?" He put an arm around her, hand resting on her shoulder. He gently squeezed her and pulled her up with him as he stood.

"C'mon," he whispered, "I'll walk you home." Sakura began to walk rather slowly, so Kakashi prompted her with a playful push. She looked back at him, trying to glare, but ruined its affect due to her smile. It wasn't forced; it was true. Kakashi felt himself smile back, though his black mask obscured it. Her cooler hand enclosed his and they walked together in sweet silence underneath the cloak of night.

"Goodnight, Sensei," Sakura said, grinning at him, red tinted her cheekbones when she spoke. She turned to go inside, but found her way blocked by Kakashi. He was so fast, god-like even.

"My book, if you will." Sakura stared at him blankly, completely spacing out on that.

"What…oh yeah, well it's in the forest you see, I'll get it before training tomorrow," she invented quickly. Impromptu was really a good technique to have, even for ninjas. He gave her a look that seemed to say 'I don't believe you' but he didn't demand for further information.

"All right," he rubbed her pink tresses, "goodnight, Sakura." And he was gone.

* * *

**Preview:**

Chapter 2: Whatever

"Yo," a voice said from somewhere in front of her; it was too dark to tell who it was. Sakura screamed unnecessarily loud. A hand clapped over her mouth halfway through the cry. She fought against the grip, but fail miserably. The person already had a long enough time to get a better hold of her. Oh god, this is it. I'm done for, and I still haven't given Kakashi his book back. She slumped against her captor.

* * *

Well, well, well: Looks like I've found another show to work my magic on, mwahahaha..ha..ha..um :cough: anyways. I hope you all find this somewhat fresh for an idea. I hope to see reviews, I love reviews and they help me function better with the excess of writing I'm trying for here. I'm thinkingin Part One (this part)I will make five chapters(short, I know, but I'll make them as long as I can!) and Part Two is iffy at the moment...at the minimum there will be five chapters for that part. Well, at any rate, I'm sure you've all had enough of me: Time to tell me what ya'll think!

Read, review, I take flames too! If you wish to give constructive critisism instead of sending hot letters into my email inbox (so as you don't incinerate it too much), you maydo so.

**:Apherion:**


	2. Part 1 Chapter 2

_Disclaimer and A/R (author rant): I want to thank everyone who reviewed and read. I can understand what everyone thinks about me. Part 1 is coming on great, just keep reading and reviewing please (reviews help me function a little better; they tell me I'm doing this right XD). _

_News Flash! Apherion (or her counter-part much like Sakura's) doesn't own these beautiful characters, someone else puts up with them. I am just the sole person who gets to torture (did I say that, I meant 'treat') them for fun (I mean 'free') _

**Uncertain Feelings**

**Part 1**

**By: Apherion**

Chapter 2: Whatever

Sakura watched Ino without much interest; Kakashi had been sent out on a mission a fortnight ago and still hadn't returned, and her mind was on him. Naruto had been admitted to the hospital last week due to the mission he just came back from. Sasuke though, something on her face provoked Ino to speak.

"Sakura, what's gotten into you? For the past two weeks you haven't looked too healthy. I'm glad I've taken the liberty to take you to dinner. I swear, I don't think you eat." Sakura laughed but quickly stifled it. That reminds me…

"You know the books he reads right?" Ino chewed her steak with a questioning look on her face.

"I know the books that who reads, Sakura?" Ino asked, eyebrows rising. Sakura made a disgusted face.

"Finish eating before you talk." Ino just opened her mouth to show off the chewed food. Sakura made a contempt noise then laughed. "And you wonder why you're Ino-pig." Ino smiled and swallowed her food with her drink.

"Yeah, so you were talking about…?" Ino looked at her with more interest shown than the whole evening.

"Kakashi," Sakura said, and blushed as Ino began to raise her voice.

"Woo, Sakura, going for something right there!" Sakura burned red and began to plead with Ino.

"Please, shut up, quit saying that!" Ino laughed openly, but hushed when she spoke.

"You mean to tell me that you've actually got hold of that porno?" Sakura cast a side-ways glance around, making sure that no one was really paying mind to their conversation. Slowly, she nodded, much to Ino's pleasure.

"You serious…you are!" She cried softly and Sakura made hushing motions and sounds.

"I couldn't believe how much…detail was in it," Sakura felt ashamed of having read the book in its entirety. "I mean...I don't feel that type of a book should be published. It's so…"

"Provocative, arousing, bonding," Ino was supplying words that were fitting the book to a 'T'. Then Ino challenged Sakura. "Tell me about it." A hungry expression was laid inside those fiery blue eyes.

"Are you sure?" Ino nodded furtively. "Well, god it's so embarrassing! I'm never going to be able to look Kakashi-sensei in the face anymore." Ino motioned for her to go on, want all over the girl's face. "The girl and guy like…met on suspicious circumstances. The guy is rugged, rich, and ravenous."

"You realize you used three-"

"You wanted to here about it, so hush!" Sakura interrupted, coughed, and returned to recapping the eye-opening book. "The girl is gifted, graceful, and greedy." Ino yet again made a noise worthy of saying 'you're doing it again.' "Both meet on this island, and the girl throws everything out the window after seeing this guy. Her morals, virginity-many times…five times in chapter eight to be exact about how 'serious' these two were. I swear Ino, if you needed coffee to wake up and you read that book, you wouldn't need that coffee anymore." Ino giggled and both girls finished off their dinners quite fast.

They both left together but then Ino met up with her boyfriend and had bidden Sakura adieu almost immediately. Sakura didn't feel hurt by it, Sakura was happy for Ino. Just because Sakura didn't have one didn't mean that she had to be sour about others having them. Hinata had Naruto and Sakura was happy for her. Hinata was visiting Naruto in the hospital, that's why she didn't accompany her and Ino to dinner. Feeding Naruto her ramen is going to get him fat and her broke, Sakura thought, knowing that Naruto was a fiend when it came to ramen.

"Yo," a voice said from somewhere in front of her; it was too dark to tell who it was. Sakura screamed unnecessarily loud. A hand clapped over her mouth halfway through the cry. She fought against the grip, but fail miserably. The person already had a long enough time to get a better hold of her. Oh god, this is it. I'm done for, and I still haven't given Kakashi his book back. She slumped against her captor.

"Let's go then," she whispered, knowing what would come. She felt him bring his face against her cheek, not feeling flesh, but cloth.

"Something tells me I don't want to know what you meant by that." The movement of his lips by her cheeks made her knees weak and sent spirals of chills down her spine. She blushed feeling awkward; her body pressed so close to his.

"So, are you going to let go of me?" She asked him quietly.

"Do you want me to?" Sakura didn't respond, actually considering it. He let her go regardless, and she hadn't even opened her mouth to speak.

"That's new," he said properly taking a look at her, and jumping to a hysterical conclusion, Sakura began gibbering.

"What do you mean 'that's new'?" She spoke it fast and her face was heating up. He pointed at top she was wearing.

"Your shirt, what did you think I meant?"

"Yeah, it is, Ino, Hinata, and I went…shopping…" she trailed off blushing horribly; just realizing that she had sort of flashed her ex-teacher a view. The shirt was blue with a low, V-cut neck. Half her breasts were showing! Oh my god, she thought. Her mouth was slowly opening wider into an 'O' shape, her eyes as round as dinner-plates.

Kakashi let out a laugh, not like his usual bark-forced, unnatural, and often stopped short. It was a true laugh and she felt that her humiliation was paid back fully by hearing his laugh ring in her ears. Now if I can see his face, I'd feel even more privileged.

"Sakura, it's okay." He looked at her no differently, for that Sakura was thankful. "I know how you are. I know you didn't do it on purpose." I'm going to kill Ino next time I see her, she said the shirt wasn't too low. Sakura smiled at him innocently, glad to already be red in the face, because she felt a new wave of embarrassment that had everything to do with the books he read.

"Kakashi, we need to discuss your book preferences," Sakura said in a business-like tone. Kakashi gave her a guiltless look.

"Actually, it should be I lecturing you for reading my book, but anyway." Sakura stared at him, out of words to say. He always left her like that. He always stole her words from her. It was maddening, yet Sakura liked it, in a twisted sort of way.

"You don't have anything to add? Okay, so, why'd you get so curious, Sakura?" She gulped, knowing that had been coming.

"Um," she didn't know what to say. What could she say? She had just confessed to reading the perverted books that her ex-sensei was famous for having on him. "Well, you see…" he held up a hand to stop her.

"It's all right, you didn't do anything wrong. I just wanted to give you a hard time. I knew you had that book in your training outfit, and something said to me not to take it by force because that would've put me in a position I don't think I'd like to have the Hokage looking into." Sakura giggled, still blushing thoroughly.

"Well, may I walk you home?" She nodded, her heart fluttering like mad. Somehow, she had developed something for him, but she was still confused as to what it was. Naïveté isn't always the best thing at times; at she hated being in the dark about this feeling. An arm slipped around her shoulders, hugging her into her ex-teacher. A smile entranced her features; a blush still remained on her fair skin.

"Kakashi-sensei," she started, the blush was ebbing now, but it still wasn't gone.

"Hm, still embarrassed Sakura?" She gave him a playful punch on the shoulder and looked up at him. She was shorter than he was, and she knew five foot five was where her height stopped. He smiled down at her through the mask he always wore. Sakura had long-time learned how he looked when he smiled and when he was angry.

Sakura nodded eventually and felt her companion silently laugh. He always seemed to find her amusing, no matter what she did or what she said. There was always something about her that could make him feel better.

"Are you going to go inside any time soon? Not that I'm complaining or anything, but," he looked down at her, lax and unfazed. Sakura smiled, and felt a little more color come into her cheeks once more. I love it when she does that; he thought softly brushing a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Uh…yeah, sorry, and let me get…your book," she said the last hesitantly, almost as if she were begging herself not to blush. Kakashi's smile widened when he came up with a response. She's going to murder me if I say it though…all the more reason to do it.

"You can keep it for tonight." The effect was instantaneous. Sakura immediately flushed when the words came out of his mouth. So innocent, he thought placidly. I love her. His eyes widened when he registered his thought. No, I love her like father would a daughter, not any other possible way, well, maybe I could love her like a brother, but still, I love her like a family member. It was a good thing Sakura had already gone inside the house for his book though. She returned holding it as far away from her person as she could.

"Take it, the images still blind me." Kakashi couldn't help but laugh at that. She smiled at him thinking, he's so nice and sweet. I bet that was his little sister in that picture of his. Too bad I'm going to lose him after all we've been through. I'm never going to get to see him again once I marry. She paused; I didn't think that, did I? Would I actually miss Kakashi after I married? Would I feel…lonely without him there bugging me? She brushed the thought away and continued to smile at her ex-teacher.

She began feeling awkward that she was standing inside her house and her ex-sensei standing directly in her doorway, in the dark night. She bit at her bottom lip and cast a glance at the floor before opening her mouth.

"You wanna come in?" She asked hesitantly, not really knowing what to say to the masked jounin who was just standing there. She stiffened, acknowledging how stupid she must've sounded. I could've come up with something better…if given the time. Her other personality groaned and ran her fingers through her hair, agitated.

"Not tonight, I'm really tired you see," he replied shiftily. Sakura decided to turn on the light to illuminate the hallway when she caught sight of his clothing. She hadn't noticed it, but using 'there wasn't much light' would be a bad excuse. She could see the fresh blood pouring rapidly from a re-opened wound. Probably when he was playing 'Stalker' with me, she thought, looking straight into his eyes.

"Kakashi-sensei," she said warningly, controlling herself not to point.

"I'm fine; I don't need a hos-pit-_al!_" Sakura had just flung him inside her house, shutting the door behind his just-clearing-the-doorframe body. She glared at him, dragging him from the corridor, down into the kitchen, which was at the back of the house.

"Sit," she flamed, nostrils flaring. He didn't dither in following her command. She frowned openly at him, glowering derisively at him as she gathered medical supplies.

"You," she started scathingly, "are the most irresponsible man I have _ever_ met! You didn't even _consider_ the hospital, as I know full well." Behind the anger in her voice, a sob cracked through subtly. Kakashi would have to have been listening for it if he were to catch it.

"I don't go to hospitals. I don't need help," she mocked thornily as she began to stalk over to the counter Kakashi was sitting beside, leaning an arm on the marble surface while he was at it. He opened his mouth as if to explain, but she cut across him. "**Please spare me** the excuses, Sensei. You know you can always go to someone, you _know_ I'd take care of you." She didn't blush when she said it; it didn't even register as such a comment.

"Strip," she said coldly and he gave her a baffled look.

"Sakura, I don't think that's something you should say." She gave him a look that said 'get over it'.

"You do it, or I will, whatever you choose, that shirt's coming off, pervert." She added the last word in to let him know she caught what he had meant by his sentence. Slowly, as if it were too hard for him, Kakashi began to take off the black ANBU shirt. He peeled off the black mesh underneath that shirt. Sakura began her inspection.

"I swear that you would rather die than to get help for yourself," Sakura muttered as she felt along his wound with chakra lacing her delicate fingertips. She was readying the wound for repair. The blood already stopped flowing, but she could see some of the black mesh that Kakashi was wearing inside the tear in his chest. Before warning him, she took two well-practiced fingers and slipped them inside the gash to gather the remains of the black mesh. She heard him let out a light gasp of surprise, but didn't recoil. She retracted her hand holding the smallest amount of clothing that anyone could have seen.

She set the torn cloth onto the countertop and placed a cold hand on his heated flesh. She willed her chakra to dance around and inside the injury to heal it. She removed her hand to see her handiwork. A hand went to hers, and Sakura's eyes flew up to his face. A shiver wracked her body for a second or so, but her heart began beating a million a minute and her cheeks burned with a thought. Kakashi had never stopped her hand before.

Kakashi's own hand went to her flaming red cheek, touching it softly. Hesitant and wary one would even say. It felt cool to the touch; the sensation running chills down her back. Sakura closed her eyes, unconscientiously leaning into the touch. Her stomach filled with butterflies with the combination of his left hand on her right hand and his right hand on her left cheek, gently using his fingertips to stroke her soft skin.

His left hand closed over her right wrist, and he slowly stood up, not that Sakura could really tell. He took her wrist and pulled her into him slowly. She sighed, finishing the work on her own by wrapping her right arm around his waist. A faint smile came across her lips, adding to her sweet surrender to him. She wasn't able to think.

The scene evaporated as soon as she opened her eyes. Kakashi stepped back, turning away from her, looking the other way. As if he were ashamed of what he had done. Sakura didn't understand; did she do something wrong by opening her eyes?

"Sakura," her name rolled off his tongue and she looked at him expectantly. "Don't tell anyone about that." She stared at him and began to speak.

"Sensei…" she said softly, afraid to say something out of context.

"Don't call me that anymore. I'm not your teacher," his voice was rather cold. Why did he so suddenly decide to not let her call him 'sensei' anymore? Do I have to call him 'sir' now?

"You don't have to call me 'sir'," he said as if reading her mind. She smiled weakly, she felt so stupid. Yet, when he turned around, the look in his eye was so sincere. He walked over to her and took hold of her. She instantly followed suit; her arms around his waist. He massaged her back softly, and Sakura leaned further into him. He was so warm, and she had pushed her embarrassment aside.

"Kakashi," she whispered quietly. He stopped momentarily, but continued as she spoke again. "Is this even happening?" She was so quiet he could barely distinguish what she said.

"Sakura, don't say a word," and with that, his warmth vanished into thin air, leaving her quite confused.

"Are you out of your mind, Sakura?" Tsunade was yelling again, and Sakura groaned loudly.

"I don't want to hear it. I swear you've ran over twelve people today. Are you even seeing where you're going?" In the hospital, Sakura was steering the medical supplies cart.

"Only two, thank you," Sakura huffed, peeved at the fact that her head just wasn't in it.

"Did something happen last night to make you so jumpy?" She hit it right on the mark with that statement, but Sakura wasn't about to blurt it out.

_"Don't say a word."_

"Sakura, are you even listening to me? You're looking ill." Sakura just stared blankly at the Hokage.

"Yes, I mean, no…I mean, I don't know," Sakura stumbled over her words. A hand was placed gently on her shoulder.

"Go home, Sakura, you're too shaken to be of help today. Come back tomorrow and we'll see what we can get done." Sakura nodded, not arguing. She needed some sleep; maybe she'd indulge herself in food too. She trudged down to the changing quarters for the medics and began to strip herself of the white uniform. She threw on the now a little too small red training dress, with the black under-shorts.

She began to walk home, quietly contemplating what had happened last night. It was…an experience, that's what she decided to label it as. She couldn't believe what happened. Her sensei, _ex_-sensei, had hit on her. Well, more or less physically than verbally.

She took a detour on the way-Team 7's training spot being the obvious destination. She sat on the bridge's railing, looking out at the water, rapidly rushing past. She heard someone coming, but didn't react to it. They meant her no harm, whoever they were.

"You're out of class I see," his voice was slightly muffled by the mask he always wore.

"Class, you mean work." He laughed and ruffled her hair affectionately. It was as if nothing had even happened between them. She turned around on the railing and looked him in the eye. It was so strange to be right there, so close, and yet so far. The black eye crinkled into a smile, the smile she had become so accustomed to. How she would love to see the whole picture, his whole face.

"About yesterday," she started timidly, his smile fell a bit.

"That was irresponsible of me to do that." She sat still, gaping. He didn't just say that, did he? The gape turned to a glare in an instant.

"What, you didn't think it was real? You thought it was some sort of fantasy?" She busted out. How dare he play her emotions and think he'd get away with it. He had another thing coming. "Did you think you were playing out one of your outrageous books?" She was glaring hard at him. Did he think it was a game?

"No, Sakura, calm down," he said hurriedly. Sakura, however, got defensive with him. She ignored his continuing protests and explanations, throwing a punch. The oddity of the ordeal was her fist actually connected with his face. He staggered back, stunned by the blow. Sakura, too, was dazed by her bold move. She jumped from the railing and stepped closer to him.

"Kakashi," she tried, he held up the hand that wasn't massaging the cheek she had punched.

"I deserved that because I took advantage of you." She huffed and slapped the other cheek. Her inner personality was rather riled by his lack of understanding.

"I haven't a clue what that was for." Sakura bit her bottom lip and dug her hands into her hair, turning away from him. How could he not understand? She didn't want to admit it to herself either, but she was angry due to something-and at the moment, Kakashi was who she could only think about.

"Sakura, I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to imply anything in my actions. I-I should have known better," his voice was intoxicating; paining her feeling the rejection she knew would be coming. He was fourteen years older than she was, and her being his ex-student didn't help matters either.

"Right," she said indifferently, still running her fingers through her hair. She just didn't know what was going on anymore. A hand squeezed her shoulder, and she blinked away the tears forming there.

"Forgive me, please. I wasn't trying to screw up our friendship and betray you. I just didn't know what was going on." His words echoed how she felt. She nodded, still facing away from him. He let out a breath that he had obviously been holding.

"Thanks, Sakura, I'll walk you-"

"No, thanks anyway, but…I'm not going home just yet," she said quietly, staring at the forest in front of her. Kakashi made a noise, but didn't say anything. Then he left her there, standing in a breeze on the bridge silently crying.

* * *

**Preview:**

Chapter 3: Only

"She's fine, but…I found something very disturbing underneath her skin." The Hokage withdrew a thin strip of metal alloy. "It entered her body just below the neck. It sent out a voltage of some kind through the nervous system. You said she was walking and talking just fine?" Naruto nodded and went back to listening to the older woman.

* * *

A/N: Ohh, I swore to myself that I wasn't going to have her crying...but...you'll understand why I'm having her like she is at the end of this part and into part two. I'm beginning to believe that there might even be a third part...but I just couldn't tell you...I hope so, LOL. 

READ AND REVIEW PPL! PLEASE! I ALSO TAKE FLAMES...

Apherion


	3. Part 1 Chapter 3

_A/N:Hey, my loyal and trusted readers and reviewers, thank you all very much for wanting this fic to continue...yeah, I love each and every one of you (but I love the reviewers just a little bit more because they take the time to tell me that I should keep going-but I still love the readers, cuz without the readers...this fic may not exist). At any rate, I am pleased to present you the next chapter!_

_Disclaimer: Haha! I get to stop you for the second! (points at Apherion dramatically) She doesn't own- (Apherion jumps in and covers Disclaimer's mouth)_

_E/A (evil author): Hehe, let's just start_

* * *

**Uncertain Feelings**

**Part 1**

**By: Apherion **

**Chapter 3: Only **

Sakura woke up in a cold sweat. Her dream had been so real; it was unbelievable. Sasuke had finally come back. He was the object of her affection once more, but he had changed. Not only physically, but his whole mind-set did as well. He seemed to need to be alone more often, but he would always find time to spend with her and Naruto, but mostly her.

It had been a good dream, too bad it wasn't real. Sasuke had yet to return from his quest for Uchiha Itachi. She stretched cat-like and blinked her green opals. Bright sunlight filtered through her white lace curtains, lightly fluttering in the summer breeze. It reminded her of a month ago.

She and Kakashi didn't have many lessons from then to now. Especially since Naruto had only recovered fully one week ago, and no matter how much Naruto complained, Hinata had stopped him. Sakura was surprised to hear that Hinata was the benefactor at keeping him home. Naruto had blatantly told her that Hinata put her foot down on it. Naruto only gave in because she rarely put up a fight about anything, that's probably why she and he worked so well together.

A knock came from her closed door and she called to it. Naruto answered her.

"Sakura," he said in his less annoying voice-thanks to puberty. "Hinata and I are going to go shopping." Sakura pictured a grimace written across his face, but knew he'd be plastering a smile on just for Hinata. "But she won't let me go anywhere without having you say that it's okay for me to go out." Another grimace there and Sakura laughed as she pulled on an acceptable shirt with some shorts.

"Sure thing," she opened the door with a smile on her face, meeting the rather tall Naruto. I bet Hinata feels short a lot. Sakura dragged him down the hall that branched off into the living room-which led to the kitchen. She set him down in a chair at the counter and began to look him over with her chakra. It didn't take but five minutes to sort him out.

"He's good to go Hinata!" Sakura called from her seat to the hallway to the door-which was on the right if you were sitting in Sakura's seat. She knew Hinata to be in that corridor because it was the only portion of the house she had pictures. The other rooms had been painted and that was it. Sakura dragged Naruto to the hall, but was knocked to the side as soon as Naruto had cleared that doorframe. Blinking the stars from her eyes, Sakura looked at Naruto who was cradling a rather pale looking Hinata.

"Naruto, did she eat anything?" Naruto gave her a look that said 'what kind of a question is that', but Sakura glared. "Just answer it, Naruto. Did she or did she not eat?" He faltered and spoke quickly.

"No, she didn't eat, but that was because she wasn't hungry. She kind of got a little loopy on the walk here, but she said she was fine." Sakura stared. Hinata wouldn't lie to Naruto, who, incidentally could tell if you were telling the truth or not-thanks to that fox demon coiled up inside him. Yet an attacker couldn't possibly, yet again the perks at having a boyfriend with hyper-senses. No sooner had she thought about that did she start thinking about Kakashi. She shook it from her; she had to focus right now.

"Carry her for me, she isn't showing any symptoms that I know of. We're taking her Tsunade-sama." Naruto nodded, and Sakura opened the door. Fast as lightning, Naruto dashed from the house Sakura had been given for no apparent reason.

Reaching Tsunade hadn't been hard. It was getting her to catch the gravity of the situation. When Sakura finally argued that she couldn't do anything for Hinata and convinced Tsunade that she wasn't double-dealing and trying to get out of doing something, Naruto had already laid Hinata on a hospital bed in a room. Tsunade had asked both of them to step out while she did a 'look-through' with her chakra.

* * *

When Tsunade emerged from the room, Naruto looked at her expectantly. Tsunade complied with a nod and a weak smile.

"She's fine, but…I found something very disturbing underneath her skin." The Hokage withdrew a thin strip of metal alloy. "It entered her body just below the neck. It sent out a voltage of some kind through the nervous system. You said she was walking and talking just fine?" Naruto nodded and went back to listening to the older woman.

"It's so strange, I wouldn't have guessed anyone to walk along and carry a conversation once their nervous system had been attacked. Maybe she was out immediately after you left her alone?"

"It's possible, but I don't understand how anyone could've attacked her when I can smell practically everything." Tsunade shook her head, making a skeptical noise.

"No, you couldn't sense them because to get this piece of metal inside Hinata's body, the person had to have been further back and shoot it just right, or else it would've sliced her head off. And that's the nice why to put it." Tsunade tossed the metal strip to Naruto who caught easily. He examined it and his eyes widened, offering it to Sakura to look at. She nearly dropped it for what she saw.

The symbol Itachi wore on his forehead protector was carved into this thin piece of metal, and with it a spell had been written on it. A smaller version of the Chidori is what it looked like to Sakura. She just gaped when she looked at Tsunade. This meant either Sasuke had failed or Sasuke was their prisoner.

"Sakura are you all right?" The question was out of her sensei's lips almost immediately after Sakura grasped the thin sheet of metal. Sakura nodded blindly. She felt Naruto's hand on her shoulder and she looked at him, trying not to cry.

"He'll be fine," he said, trying to fix convection into his voice. Sakura nodded bewildered, trying to comprehend what was happening. Sasuke was prisoner or worse, dead. That explains why he's been gone so long, Sakura thought worriedly.

"Don't worry about him, we've gotten all the information concerning his brother, up until this point, obviously," Tsunade stated in a manner of fact. Sakura couldn't help but ignore the words she said. It was just something that she couldn't wrap her head around. Sasuke, a jounin at fifteen, had never allowed himself to get caught, and if he did, he always found a way to get out of it. Unless…unless he got caught on purpose. That would explain a lot. You could get more information being behind enemy lines.

"Go home, you two. Naruto, I know who she is and what she means to you, but right now: go home. You may see her in the morning." Tsunade was sweet, but firm. She understood what was happening, and they did not-as of yet. Naruto sighed in anguish and Sakura stood to put a hand on his arm.

"C'mon, I'll walk you." Naruto followed almost reluctantly, but he did follow. An uncomfortable silence enveloped them as they walked in the waning heat of the summer's day. Sakura was thankful for that Hinata wasn't seriously injured. It was probably just a warning. An invitation saying 'Come against us if you dare.'

"Sakura, do you think he's trying to frighten Konoha?" Naruto's words were hushed, wary of speaking. Sakura looked at him through her bright green eyes.

"Naruto, I couldn't tell you. Personally," she thought about the way she'd word it, "I think…_he_ put himself in a position to be in the position he's in." She was hoping Naruto caught what she was trying to say. She wasn't going to start saying his name when they could so easily be over heard.

"Naruto, I'm sorry this stuff happens to you," she put a friendly hand on his. Naruto shook his head and ruffled her pink hair. A surge of brief anger coursed through her body. Only Kakashi could touch her hair and live, but when did she start caring that no one-especially Naruto-could touch her head? It didn't make sense; she let Naruto and Sasuke mess up her hair on tons of occasions.

"I'll see you around," she said after they reached his home. Naruto shrugged his shoulders and scratched his blond head, yawning. He always did that.

"Yeah, see you Sakura." She waved and began to walk herself home. It was strange because she had the awful feeling of being watched but shook it off. She would live, eventually.

* * *

Her day done after extensive training without Kakashi, which was rather hard to get the work out she needed in, she climbed into her bed with her blue spaghetti strap dress hanging loosely on her. She was definitely losing weight. Yet Sakura felt it was all right. A bit of weight wasn't something too big to wonder about. I'm fine, she thought brushing her long hair, and maybe cutting this mass off will help me with my change.

She set the brush down back on her dresser and tore the blankets from the bed. It was too hot to be having the comforter and the other covers on her bed. She fell into the pillows, giving way to sleep, where she dreamed.

_She sat there, cringing at his body. The sharigan eye was scarred and closed. His other began to open softly. Sakura felt hot, thick tears rolling down her cheeks. His obsidian eye landed on her and it worked its way into a weak smile. Sakura could only feel helpless. He didn't have to do that for her. She didn't need it from him. Hurt filled her being watching him lie there with a smile on his face. He was so much stronger than she was. _

_His hand lifted painstakingly slow, but eventually touched her face. She cried harder, and felt him wipe away her tears. She took hold of his hand and held it to her cheek. He made soft cooing noises, trying to soothe her. _

_"Sakura," he whispered her name and she cried out of mourning and happiness. He wasn't… _

_"Don't die," she whispered hoarsely, leaning into his hand on her cheek, silently pleading God to leave him alone. She tightened her hold on his hand. _

_"You can't do anything about this. You don't have enough chakra to help me. Leave and warn Konoha." Sakura didn't let his hand go. She was determined to stay with him for the long haul. He didn't deserve to be left alone. He protected her like she was his to protect. She couldn't do a thing about it either. He always was there for her, so she would stay. She would stay until…until…_

_

* * *

_

**Preview**

Chapter 4: Suffering

She walked into the kitchen with a mind to eat something, but lost her appetite quite suddenly. The man shifted in the shadows of her unlit kitchen. Her inner self was becoming an incoherent, annoying voice inside her head. A glint of red registered however, making matters worse. Panic floated to the surface etched into her face. Her eyes widened, slightly dilated.

* * *

A/N: O.O wow, one of my infamous cliffies...If I get a good response you'll be getting the next chapter faster. Oh, to answer the drivingquestion of 

"Why are there chapter previews?"

I say in reply

"Because I think it's something for the readers and reviewers to look forward to."

Read, Review, I take flames as well (don't be shy people! I don't bite...I swear...)

**:Apherion:**


	4. Part 1 Chapter 4

_A/N: Welcome back to the world that is crazy and fanfictions thatare beautiful and true love makes all the difference. I am happy to announce (and also sad) that part 1 is coming to a close after next chapter. But don't fret-part 2 will be coming as soon as I can type it and submit it. I am also giving the link to the picture again, seeing as in the first chapter it didn't show up too well._

www. deviantart .com /deviation/ 5788812 (that's it, but without the spaces of course)

_Disclaimer: Don't own, don't ask, don't care-I'm just all about the fluff and freaky scenes before the fluff. _ **

* * *

**

Uncertain Feelings

**Part 1**

**By: Apherion**

_

* * *

_

**Chapter 4: Suffering**

Sakura and Ino stood outside the dressing room that Hinata was in. They were getting her to try-on this skimpy outfit that Hinata would never go for. They were standing right out the door just to make sure that she didn't run away. Hinata had made a full recovery from her incident three days after being brought to the hospital two weeks ago.

Their shopping trip had been delayed thanks to Sakura's overflow of hospital work and Ino's missions and boyfriend, Shikamaru. Hinata had been on leave due to the frying of her nerves. Sakura found it funny because Hinata just hung out with Sakura at the hospital during the last two weeks. Tsunade didn't say anything about it, but Sakura knew that Tsunade was ready to be shot of the timid girl. Sakura knew that Tsunade wasn't one who tolerated shyness.

During the three days, Naruto always pushed something forward or backward so he could see Hinata for a minimum of thirty minutes. Sakura had even been sunk in and after hearing some of the sensitive things coming from Naruto; she left feeling the familiar fuzziness of affection. Hinata would always be taken care of with Naruto as her man.

"I'm not coming out!" Hinata screamed shrilly after ten minutes of her struggling to get the lingerie on. Ino looked at Sakura with a wild gleam in her eyes.

"Oh, Hinata," Ino said in a motherly voice. "You don't have to come out." Sakura looked at Ino sternly.

"I don't?" Hinata was shocked as well. Ino looked back at Sakura, winked, and disappeared. There was a muffled cry and then there was a straggling sound. Sakura covered her mouth from bursting into laughter as Ino motioned for Sakura to run inside with great difficulty due to Hinata practically strangling her friend. Sakura got up and slipped in, sitting down once more after removing a mortified Hinata from a wounded Ino.

Sakura took two full seconds to consider Hinata in her outfit before laughing. Ino must've tried that, but the irregular sound made was Ino trying to laugh and Hinata trying to smother her. The lacy thing that Hinata was in left nothing to the imagination, as in a thin strip of red lace went around the chest area and the lacy panties were enough to get even Tsunade to laugh.

"Take…that ridiculous…thing…off," Sakura gasped attempting to catch her breath.

"I _told_ you it wasn't something that I'd wear," Hinata replied seething. Sakura smiled, nonverbally saying 'I love you' to her friend.

"Yeah, but we just wanted to see what you'd look like in it. You'd never wear something that revealing," Ino informed the two, as if they didn't already know.

* * *

Sakura, Ino, and Hinata went their separate ways when they left the circuit of shopping. Ino turned down the street to her parents' flower shop and Hinata went directly straight heading for the Hyuuga Clan Main House. Sakura waved off both friends before turning around and going to her own home. 

She fumbled with the key, but eventually got it inside the lock and twisted it around. A series of clicks followed and the door swung open with a creak on its hinges. They need to be oiled I see, Sakura noted as she past the threshold gingerly supporting her new belongings. She made her way to her bedroom, painted royal purple with lavender flowers sponged onto the walls. She smiled at it, dropping her goody bags at the foot of her bed.

She went back down the halls full of art and the few pictures she had of her and her parents. She stared at one affectionately. Her dad had her on his shoulders and she was laughing childishly. Sakura had his green eyes and his forehead, but she came to love it after Ino had become her friend, then enemy, and then friend once more.

Sakura found her mother, much shorter than her father, with long pink hair tied back much like Ino's hair. Sakura had inherited those blush colored locks and the torturing shortness from her mom. Sakura felt no ill will though; she just wished they'd come back.

She walked into the kitchen with a mind to eat something, but lost her appetite quite suddenly. The man shifted in the shadows of her unlit kitchen. Her inner self was becoming an incoherent, annoying voice inside her head. A glint of red registered however, making matters worse. Panic floated to the surface etched into her face. Her eyes widened, slightly dilated.

"Hello, Sakura," his voice was deep and velvety smooth, just like Sasuke's voice. His tall silhouette seemed to glide over to her spot that she stood, staring, begging to be dreaming. His murderous hand touched her cheek and she shrank away and shivered out of fear. Sakura moved away from him and felt the sting on her cheek resulting from the slap she had just received.

"Didn't think I'd get to him did you? Better yet, I'm sure you'd never understand why he's still alive." His voice was taunting her, begging her to launch out and attack him. He was daring her to be foolish. He reeked of blood, though he had none on him. Sakura scrunched her nose in revulsion. She looked to the floor in feeble attempt for help. It didn't work, but it did stop her from having to see the bloodlust in his red eyes. He grasped her chin and forced her face upwards. She struggled against his relentless hold and felt an arm snake around her waist, thrusting her intentionally into his body. She tried to remove herself, but it failed. Her lips were caught before she could evade him any longer.

He shoved her away from him, licking his lips. Sakura fell to the floor hard on her bottom. Tears sparkled from the instant pain, shooting up her nerves. Why was he here? Then her conscious caught up with the events. He had just kissed her. She blanched, and wiped her mouth on the back of her hand.

"I always wondered what it was about you that had Sasuke so mesmerized." His hungry gaze fell upon her once more and Sakura lost the warmth that had filled her effectively. Her body went rigid and she began to move, scooting to the hall she had just come from.

Her stomach twisted when she felt Itachi behind her. Her breathing hitched as his hand passed over her body sensually. She did not like the way he was touching her. She wanted him to leave her alone. She wanted to be rid of him. His arm was once more wrapped around her waist, pulling her unwillingly into him. She fought to get out from his grip, but in vain were her attempts. She felt his hot, heady breath on her neck.

"You can't get out, Sakura." His voice tickled her ear and he spun her around to face him. Though she knew she shouldn't, her eyes were allured into his gaze. The world split like it had the only time Kakashi used it. Sakura understood now that Kakashi didn't intend to force her to see what she had seen. He didn't even do anything to her, even though it seemed like he had. She had forced herself to see it so she didn't have to lay eyes on what Kakashi would've made her see.

This was worse than anything Kakashi could've come up with though. She felt her body clench with fear, seeing Itachi staring her down. She was unprotected in a literal sense and once she felt that in this alternate world her clothes had evaporated into thin air. She let forth a whimper and knocked her body unconscious, not wanting to experience a nightmare that she would always remember.

* * *

"Sakura," Tsunade's voice echoed thoroughly through her young apprentice's head. "Sakura, can you hear me?" Sakura blinked and looked around to see she was set securely in a hospital bed. She didn't know how she got there either. 

"Huh," she whispered shakily. Then memories washed over her powerfully. She was glad that she was lying down for she would've fainted had she been standing.

"She looks so ill," a medic-nin whispered from somewhere.

"Stupid, she is," Naruto's voice quaked in her sensitive ears.

"Both of you shut up," Tsunade snapped, pissed off at the people slowly gathering in Sakura's hospital room. Practically all of Konoha knew about Sakura because the Hokage had announced it four days ago.

"Try and sit up Sakura." Sakura just shook her head and stayed lying down. She kept her green eyes shut and stared at the inside of her eyelids, listening.

"Can you remember anything?" The fifth Hokage asked, concerned about the welfare of her medic-nin and student. Sakura coughed and spluttered; issuing the confirmation that she knew all to well what happened.

"Enlighten us about it," Tsunade said and Sakura hesitated and opened her eyes. The people swam into focus and once they did, Sakura began to speak.

"You don't want to hear about it," Sakura started, hesitant to release the information.

"Go on, it may be relevant," Tsunade was speaking kindly to Sakura, but she shook her head.

"It _is_ relevant, but I can't say it," Sakura wasn't going to push the information. She didn't need it to be spoken aloud.

"Naruto, Shinta, maybe you should both wait outside, you too Hinata." All three of them-Sakura didn't even notice that Hinata was in the room, that girl was just too quiet-left. Naruto didn't even put up a fight, not wanting to persist since Hinata was pushing him out the door. Shinta removed herself from the room as soon as Tsunade had suggested it.

"Now tell me what happened to you." Sakura kneaded her bottom lip, eyes shifty. Tsunade put a reassuring hand on hers, prompting speech.

"Itachi was in my house last-"

"Four nights ago," Tsunade corrected her. Sakura stared, oh yes. Kakashi always was out of it for longer than four days when Itachi attacked him.

"Well, he…" Sakura took in several deep breaths, preparing herself for what she was about to tumble from her mouth. "Itachi was in my kitchen; he touched me, and hit me after I tried to get away." She took in more breaths to ease the pain of her stomach tightening around her. Her breath was harder to sustain.

"He said Sasuke was still alive, and then he took my chin and wrapped an arm around my waist. He…he…" she felt tears falling down her cheeks. "He kissed me and pushed me away saying he always wondered what Sasuke found so interesting." She took in a deep breath, coming to her story's end. "Itachi grabbed me from behind and got me to look into his sharigan. I was in a totally different place…and…I was…he was…I knocked myself out so I wouldn't know about it…" Sakura finished weakly, tears pouring down her face. Trauma like that could leave someone twisted in a rather uncomfortable way. Tsunade wrapped her arms around the crying girl in from of her, trying to soothe her.

"Kakashi is getting married though in three days time. A wedding should cheer you up," said Tsunade on a lighter note. Sakura pushed away from the older woman.

"What...when Tsunade-sama...to who...who is he marrying?" Sakura stumbled in getting those questions out after choking down the 'getting married' piece. She couldn't believe it; maybe this was some other Kakashi and not hers. She focused on that, _hers_. She had thought it, and now she wondered would that even be possible? You can't be serious; you're actually considering him? Sakura shook her head, her inner-self getting in the way of her thinking. She didn't understand a thing anymore.

"He didn't tell you, but you're always training together," Tsunade sounded confused by this proclamation.

"No, we haven't. It stopped a long ways back. I've been training by myself or with Naruto, but Kakashi hasn't come to call at my house for nearly two months." Tsunade stared, open-mouthed.

"He announced his wedding to Konoha a day after you were committed to this hospital." She paused still in wonder. "He must've not wanted you to know." Sakura seethed, furious with her ex-sensei. Kakashi was getting married and he didn't want her to know about it. It wasn't right, not in the least bit.

"Sakura, are you all right?" The Hokage asked softly. No, Tsunade-Sama, I am not all right. My ex-teacher, supposed friend, is getting hitched in three days and he didn't even bother to drop a line.

"No, I mean, yes, nothing's wrong," Sakura's voice had been reduced to a whisper. Tsunade blinked, unsure how to take this let down Sakura compared to the feisty one she taught.

"Yeah, I think I'll be going now," Sakura stated, flinging the bed sheets off of her, standing shakily to her feet.

"No, Sakura I think you should-"

"Stay?" Sakura finished, "I won't, I'm sorry for sounding rude, but I must get back to my house. Naruto, with Ino's help, probably will have already trashed the place. I need to clean it so I can have guests over if I need them." Tsunade was shocked by the sudden mood swing from her student, but said nothing. She just let Sakura walk out without stopping her. Much like Kakashi had done on several occasions, but this time, she was going to kill Kakashi, no matter what.

The night air was biting cold, fall approaching fast, and summer coming to a close. She stalked into the night with a grimace set, her jaw clenched. She growled out of frustration at Kakashi.

How dare he not tell her? Who did he think he was, Hokage? What the hell was he playing at? All these thoughts and more raced through her over-worked brain as she trampled her way to where she knew to be Kakashi's refined home. I am his friend, I was his student, and he can tell me anything. Then a memory interrupted what she was on a tirade on.

_"Not for children under eighteen."_

She ground her teeth as she knocked on his door and to her amazement-and mostly outrage-Kina, Sasuke's ex-girlfriend, opened the door. She was the Wave Country girl that Sasuke had described in one word-because he was so good at using one word for practically everything-perfect. Sakura's blood boiled at the mere sight of the girl with golden, sunned skin, long, white hair that was tied back respectively, and deep, ocean blue eyes.

"Sakura, fancy seeing you"-Sakura shoved the girl up against the wall outside the door. She glowered at her, but decided she'd rid herself of the nuisance later. At the moment, she had a bone to pick with Kakashi. How could he possibly marry some_thing_ like that? Sakura marched into what she believed to be the living room.

"Kakashi," she whispered menacingly, hearing the cracking and popping of the wood in the fireplace as they turned steadily into their ash counter-parts. The fire burning added an orange glow to the dark room. Sakura's pale green eyes finally reached Kakashi. She stopped short of words however at the look he was giving her. She stumbled and suddenly realized that coming here without a sense of mind other than to chew him out wasn't a good idea. It was foolish and the type of thing that could get a shinobi killed.

"Go home," he said with apparent scorn. She felt her soul leaving her body at that very sentence. Tears came from her eyes, though she didn't notice, she was busy coping with the welling in her heart, as if it were being tugged relentlessly from her body.

She fled, out of humiliation, blind fury, and some uncharted territorial feeling that had come to light. She felt someone who was so close to her had betrayed her. Yet, Kakashi was just her teacher-ex-teacher, wasn't he? Sakura ran her fingers through her steadily becoming un-groomed hair. What was he to her…he teacher, her friend…? She let it go, she didn't want to think how complicated things could be if she…she caught herself. He'd never feel that way about me, he never has, but he is capable of doing that. She thought back to the picture he had seen. He really loved the little girl he was taking care of in that picture. Wait for a second-maybe that was me… Her inner-self argued, being difficult and headstrong as always.

No way, not in a million years could Kakashi been your guardian. Sakura argued back.

It could have easily been be, I don't remember, all I know is that after my parents left me, I was four and they have yet to return. The girl in the picture was my age at that time, so there. I have evidence to support my thought. Inner Sakura huffed and shot back.

So why hasn't anyone told you about it, eh? He's had some fine opportunities himself. Why would they want to keep it from you? You're acting like a loon nowadays.

You have Kakashi to thank for that. I don't understand why I feel so…

In need of him, her inner-self offered helpfully.

Yes, that…wait, that's so wrong, think about it. You're the one who thinks like that, not me! Inner Sakura laughed and mentally put a hand on her featured-self.

Whatever, but you do seem to feel hurt more often than not by what Kakashi does. I'm not saying that you depend on him to keep you straight; Inner Sakura came up with fast, so as to not be interrupted. I'm just saying that you seem to care what he thinks of you and how he perceives you. She had a point and Sakura began to understand slightly how this new feeling operated.

* * *

**Preview:**

**Chapter 5: Saving Me**

(Kakashi POV)

Movement from the house had shown that she had made it home, but why hadn't she turned on the lights yet? More movement indicating that there were at least two people in the house. Sakura with someone…now that seemed a bit strange considering she had shown no interest in Rock Lee or Gai or any other man, with the exception of Sasuke and now he's iffy on the whole 'who does Sakura like' category. Something he didn't expect to see was a flash of red, and he knew something was wrong.

* * *

A/N: Ok, I'll be posting the next chapter as soon as I possibly can. I had to chop Chapter Four in half so I could write a good ending to Part 1 (aka: Chapter Five). Please review people! I just need assurances that you are enjoying this fic. Thank you all again for reading and reviewing. I love you all! 

**:Apherion:**


	5. Part 1 Chapter 5

_A/N: Hey ppl! I have made the executive decision to change this from Romance/Action/Adventure to Romance/Agnst after reading through what I'vewritten (these five chapters).I decided I would post this tonight, as my b-day is tomorrow (April 19) and I will NOT be on the computer tomorrow, so why not get reviews as gifts I thought to myself, so here's the last chapter of Part 1 (hides, a little scared)_

_Please don't hurt me! Please! (just knows she's going to get into trouble due to this ending...)_

_Disclaimer: **Is on vacation until further notice...**_

_Me: What? I didn't do anything (except throw him hog-tied in a barricaded closet)..._

* * *

**Uncertain Feelings**

**Part 1**

**By: Apherion**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Saving Me**

"Sakura," she jumped, the voice startling her from her reverie, she just noticed that she was already inside her house as well. The voice whispered her name again, and she felt a stirring in the hallway. She caught the red gleam and her heart rate went through the roof. Not him, not him again. She pleaded a losing battle as the form of Itachi loomed out from the dark shadows surrounding him. She turned to head for the door and start running properly, but was put in a firm hold against his body.

"Do you want me to let go?" His lips brushed against her ears, and the readings from _Icha, Icha Paradise_ rushed into her head all at once. She struggled as if to give an answer, but was held tighter against his firm body.

"Wrong answer," he said coldly and he turned her around to face him, her eyes darted to the sharigan eyes, and immediately she felt herself being pulled into the distant state of mind under Itachi's control. She heard something crash and shatter before she was completely submitted to the nightmare.

* * *

Kakashi let Kina come back and settle against himself in the position she had grown accustomed to a month and a half ago. The marriage proposal had been her idea, but hey, he wasn't getting any younger and she was something that could distract him from Sakura.

He knew she would come to call at some point, hell; even he was getting fed up with the silent treatment both were inducing upon the other. Yet, when she entered the room and whispered his name…

She wasn't too happy with you. You screwed up, Kakashi. You _knew_ she would find out about the marriage at some point. Not telling her you were seeing someone, let alone _engaged_, was below the belt. He berated himself for his lack of thought.

It was the only thing that I could've done though. I couldn't stop thinking about her. She kept repeating her words in my head. 'Did you think you were playing out one of your outrageous books?' Did he? He remembered the punch she had thrown and the strike on the cheek clearly. Why did she do that? He had experience with women, plenty of it actually, but why would Sakura try and kill him for not…understanding?

Was that it? Was she trying to tell him something and he flat out ignored the subtle gesture? He was so confused by it and then tonight happened.

Kina explained to him why she was breathing so hard. Sakura had slammed her against the wall, explaining the huge thump and creaking of pictures from the door's hallway. Then Kakashi finished the rest of the story. Sakura had barged into the house, came into the living room looking livid. She spoke, icing his name with malice as it passed through her lips. He gave her a fierce look and told her to go home. She started crying, looking a bit woebegone. She then ran, hard and fast away from his little house.

As soon as Kina had settled herself properly however, Kakashi moved her off him. He gave her a firm look when she made a pouting face. He needed to understand Sakura. He needed an idea of what was wrong with her. He walked from the room, pausing only at the doorway leading to the door's hallway.

"Don't follow," he said darkly and was gone in a puff of smoke. Kakashi had made the trip to her house numerous times. Mostly picking her up and dropping her back off here, he even sort of helped Mr. and Mrs. Haruno out every now and then in the past. Now he was going to find out what was the matter with Sakura and try to make it better.

Movement from the house had shown that she had made it home, but why hadn't she turned on the lights yet? More movement indicating that there were at least two people in the house. Sakura with someone…now that seemed a bit strange considering she had shown no interest in Rock Lee or Gai or any other man, with the exception of Sasuke and now he's iffy on the whole 'who does Sakura like' category. Something he didn't expect to see was a flash of red, and he knew something was wrong.

Abandoning his normal tactics in contacting Sakura, he broke through the glass. He saw something that made his blood still. Itachi Uchiha was holding one petrified Sakura inside a death-grip hold. He had already used his sharigan on her, and he lifted his forehead protector to reveal his own. Itachi noticed, but still kept half his focus on her. He heard her whimpering and the tears coming down her face, knowing what he was doing to the girl was causing her much grief.

"Let her go," Kakashi growled, getting into a fighting stance. Itachi spared him half a glance.

"Yeah, and lose to you, I suppose." He chuckled evilly and drinking in every expression he was putting Sakura's face. Most facials were made of fear, pain, or a combination of the two. A wicked smile played his features nicely.

"_One day I'm actually going to do this to you_," he whispered to his victim, who squirmed with trepidation. Kakashi wondered what it was that Itachi was doing to her. Something horrible no doubt, he thought, getting fed up with being ignored, but he waited. Sakura then mouthed, 'no', but was kept from saying anything else, her whimpering and silent screams starting up again.

"What are you doing to her? Let her go!" He said each with brutal force and actually attacked him. Itachi couldn't dodge quickly enough with Sakura in his arms and was it with the blow coming his way. His eyes moved from Sakura to Kakashi back to Sakura and a blood-curtailing scream shrieked in both men's ears. It was silenced once again. It was unnatural, that was for sure.

"Like I'd tell you, besides," he grinned maliciously, "I think this is good for her. Experience for the inexperienced, or at least that's what I'm using to plead my case. Shame Sasuke didn't do this; you know he talks about her all the time." He made a feeble attempt at light-hearted conversation. "I just couldn't resist the way he framed her." Kakashi ground his teeth. He began to focus chakra into his hands, light-blue lightning forming there almost instantly. Itachi finally paid him the mind that Kakashi deserved. Sure, Itachi had defeated plenty of people and killed a ton of them, but Kakashi didn't care.

"Let her go, or all three of us go down," he threatened and Itachi gave way, surprisingly. He dropped Sakura to the floor, her body crashing to the ground with a muffled thunk. Itachi glared once again before disappearing into thin air. Kakashi dropped to his knees, letting the Chidori dissipate from his hands, back into his chakra stream. He stood and walked over to Sakura's still out of it form. Her breathing was labored, but that was one of the after effects from falling victim to the sharigan.

Kakashi sat down Indian-style on the hardwood floor, pulling Sakura into his lap. He cradled her against his body, holding the girl's figure tightly to himself. Everything that just happened didn't seem to matter anymore though. This woman in his arms was as perfect as he could have imagined. Somehow he felt he understood her with her head leaning on his shoulder. Who cared if they hadn't spoken for two months?

* * *

Sakura awoke in Kakashi's arms. He was leaning against the wall, coincidentally underneath one of the few family photos she had. She smiled, he was sleeping softly and she didn't disturb him. She laid her head back down on his shoulder, snuggling a little closer. Who cared if she had the worst experience of her life? Kakashi must've come to her rescue last night, and for that she was eternally grateful, yet she only hoped that he was around when Itachi decided to drop in again. She drifted off into a deep sleep.

She felt something begin to stir beneath her relaxed form and knew Kakashi was under her. He stopped moving in fear of waking her. She smiled and leaned into him a bit closer than she had before. A sound was made and then that sound became her name.

"Sakura," he whispered and she could feel the butterflies filling into her stomach as he said her name. She opened one eye and looked at him coyly, savoring his face as much as possible. She only got to see him without his forehead protector off during battles and she liked to be able to see what she could of his face.

* * *

Later that day, Sakura met up with Ino at the flower shop to tell her about the whole incident and how Kakashi decided to come to her aide. She would edit the story so as to not have to truly think about what happened. Ino offered her a chair as soon as she entered the shop.

"Ino, I need to talk to you about these strange occurrences that have been happening lately. I can't make heads or tails of them and Kakashi is being more distant than ever before." Ino, being the good listening friend-who was always quick to judge, give out gossip at top speed, and was slightly a hypocrite-told her to sit down while she got finished up with a customer. It was fairly quick, the woman leaving in a huff and ranting about incompetence.

"What's up?" She asked in an off-hand voice, not sure how to take Sakura at the moment.

"What's up is that I haven't a clue what's going on. Kakashi saves my ass from Itachi, who just so happens to be coming onto me physically strong, and this morning I woke up in Kakashi's arms." Sakura stopped herself to breathe and to think of anything she missed. "And Kakashi seems to be getting married, yet he…I feel that he is harboring feelings for someone other than the fiancée." Ino caught practically all of this, but spluttered when Sakura came to her conclusion.

"What, who do you think has him tied around her finger?" Ino finally got out, not necessarily yelling. She was just projecting a little too loud, that's all.

"Shush, Ino, please! I don't want the whole of Konoha to hear about this. Only Tsunade knows about Itachi coming to call. She hasn't heard of last night yet."

"You're planning on telling her? Jesus, Sakura," Ino whispered fretfully. "Why do you think that Itachi's so interested in you?" Sakura, to tell the truth, didn't know either, what she had, had been just a theory, but it worked pretty well at any rate.

"I think a certain male has been filling in his brother about me. I think that someone's giving the wrong impression." Ino just shook it away like it was nothing.

"Oh, wait; it probably has something to do with you killing your parents for attempt at murdering you when you were ten." Ino covered her mouth in shock. The look on her face could not have been clearer, 'I didn't just say that, did I?' Sakura could have cared less. She no longer had to search for what her alleged accident had been. Certain memories filed into place once more, still unclear, but at least she had the blueprints to them.

"I killed my parents?" Sakura asked out of pain, blinking back tears.

"No, I mean, yes you did, but I wasn't supposed to tell you. Oh Sakura," she put a hand on Sakura's arm, but Sakura pulled away from it, disgusted with her friend for being deceitful to her. "Please don't be mad at me. I wasn't the one who issued that we weren't allowed to discuss it with you." Ino looked desperate, completely not acting like her usual self.

"When were you going to tell me? If not when, were you even going to?" Sakura's voice turned cold as she felt depression sinking into her, destroying what she had. Ino didn't say anything. Sakura stood up, furious.

"Look, Sakura, I swear, Tsunade-sama told us not to tell you. She said it would worsen your condition." It was the wrong thing to say at the moment.

"Oh, now I have a condition. Look everyone; Sakura Haruno has a condition! I have a condition and it's my ability to pick false friends who don't tell you important things that would help you remember your past." Sakura held up a hand to silence Ino's almost let out words.

"I don't want to hear it. You could've _lied_. You could've told her that you _didn't_ tell me, when you _have_. Do you even realize that I have been thinking that my parents were alive for the past eleven years? No, I didn't think so," and before Ino could even argue or even get a word in, Sakura stepped out, fuming that her friends had betrayed her trust, tears rimming her eyes. I know it was foolish tothink they were still alive, but to find out that I killed them? She thought frantic, desperately trying not to cry. Then a hand touched her shoulder. Sakura spun 'round glaring at the person who had dared to place his hand on her shoulder.

"What do you want?" She asked, hysterical and testy, on the brink of tears. It was Kakashi that had quickly removed his hands from her.

"What's wrong with you Sakura?" She didn't even try to pretend. She wanted everyone to know. She wanted every one of the backstabbing, so-called friends to know.

"I know about what I did." Her voice was ice cold. She felt like tearing someone into pieces. She felt like she needed something to release both anger and frustration on.

"I know that you and all of my other 'friends' didn't even bother yourselves with telling me the truth. The exact same truth that I was looking for, the closure I needed." Kakashi looked at her; she had finally broken the dam on the tears that were welling inside both heart and soul, only they were cried through her body (to put it simply, she was crying her eyes out).

"Sakura, you've got it wrong…we couldn't have told you about it. Tsunade would have our heads if you found out, she said it would be better if you didn't remember, but if you were told she would banish you, and I couldn't handle that." It took several minutes for this to sink in.

"_I couldn't handle that."_

Sakura felt the flow of tears stop momentarily until she heard his next words. Why did he have to try and joke? She needed someone serious with her at the moment and yet Kakashi wasn't holding her there.

"Who would I give a hard time to?" He added a chuckle, stopped like he normally did and Sakura swallowed her tears.

"You destroy every ounce of feeling that I have. You always cause me some kind of pain. Can't you help me with it without having to crack a joke off? Can you not understand me, what I want? Even after all these years?" Kakashi's jaw seemed to become unhinged from behind his mask.

"Yeah, don't say anything. It's just your normal answer to everything anyway," she said it bitter-sweetly. Turning away from him, she ran to the house that had never been a true home to her.

* * *

Furious tears rolled down her cheeks as she made it home. She opened the door with an exceeding amount of force, and then slammed the door behind herself even harder.

It was too difficult to understand, to comprehend. She stared impassively at the wall across from her, her back leaning heavily against the wall opposite from across from her. She slid down the wall, running hurried hands through her hair. The feelings, god she wanted them to disperse. Did any of her friends know what they were doing to her? Did Kakashi know? Did he care?

She felt the ever-present tightening of her stomach due to the dry sobs wracking her body senselessly. She wrapped her arms around herself to try and recuperate the comfort she once had in someone's arms not too long before now. How could he do this to me? Misleading me all of those years, does he even realize?

Iruka lied to Naruto for the longest of years. Inner Sakura had made her appearance finally, just so she could argue with herself, no matter how true the words were, she wasn't going to let that stop her rant. She ran her fingers through her already disheveled hair.

God, I don't care! It was me he lied to! Kakashi and my friends all lied to me for eleven years. I was betrayed; they all turned their backs on me. Now I know how Naruto must've felt when the adults shunned him.

My parents tried to kill me. Itachi must've had something to do with it because now _he's_ after me. After me in a sense I never even thought of with Sasuke, let alone the psycho older brother!

Calm down, they won't take you. Don't let them know they've gotten to you.

Gotten to me, **gotten to me**? Does it look like I haven't _already_ jumped off the cliff? Tears squeezed out form her eyes, red and a tad bit swollen. Her true personality didn't say anything in response. I'm never going to know what's really happening in my life, she laughed bitterly. Isn't that funny? No one even wants to bother with telling me about the things that I need to know. Her other half didn't respond; probably a good idea now that Sakura was full-out crying.

The door opened cautiously, but Sakura didn't look up. She didn't even bother with the whole ordeal of getting into ninja stance just to fight this person off. She'd rather be killed, but,

"Sakura," the voice was quiet, barely overriding the sobs coming from her. She didn't even look up at him.

"Go away," she cried, muffled. An arm draped over her shoulders and pressed her into a very warm body. She turned into him, flinging her arms around his neck, crying on the shoulder he had offered. His masked lips whispered into her ear, tickling it from the air.

"I wish you wouldn't cry so much," he said softly, touching her on the back hesitantly. It took Sakura a moment to realize he was hugging her. Kakashi was actually hugging her. She wiped her face off and looked him in his black eye.

"I don't have any other way to make me feel better. This is the only thing that"-her words were cut off. Her eyes widened with shock, but settled into a relaxed closed position. The kiss was over in a matter of seconds. She felt his lips press against hers through the bit of cloth that stopped the kiss from being a true one. She felt like crying again, but one of his hands cupped her cheek.

"It'll be all right, I promise."

* * *

A/N:EEP!(ducks the flaming emails, torches, and pitch forks) HA! (gets hit with a Diet Coke can playing Diet Pepsei's stunt-double and is out of it for a few minutes...wakes up to see herself tied to a chair) GAH! I can explain (looks at the mad people)...well, no, actually I can't. Part 2 will be coming at you soon, I've got it mapped out and ready to 'explore'

-excuse the 'lingo' play I'm having...English 2 work for clepping out will do that to you (I don't want to take english 2 cuz english 1 was just wasting my time as english 2 will be doing).

I love you all, and remember! I let Kakashi kiss her! I could have just ended it at the hug, be thankful I had xXAngelic1ZXx (my muse/beta) to tell me not to be that cruel-cuz I'm sure you all know I would've done it, LOL.

Read, Review, I take Flames as well. I do not bite, so go ahead and send a shout out to me. It doesn't take that long to jot down 'Update soon' or something around that.

LUV YA,

**$!# Apherion **


	6. Part 2 Chapter 1

_A/N: Hello, Hello, once agian. I have a picture for this one (that I DID NOT DRAW), but I don't have a URL for you, so please be patient with that. Remember that I love you all and you all are beautiful people whom I survive off of (your reviews of course, that's exactly what I meant)_

_We are starting off like the LOTR books (if you've ever read them, which you should) each new part will be written like it is it's own book. Thank you all, love ya, here's disclaimer with the story (surprising I'm letting him do it today)._

_Disclaimer: Finally; she don't own, she don't own, she don't own, she don't own, she don't!_**

* * *

**

**Uncertain Feelings**

**Part 2**

**By: Apherion**

* * *

**Chapter 1: The Wedding**

Sakura didn't smile when she found out that Kakashi had yet to postpone the wedding, let alone cancel it. She wanted to spit in Kina's face when she asked her to be her Maid of Honor, despite the urge, she didn't do that. She was glaring harshly at the spring green bride's maid's dress. I want to be the one getting married. Sakura stared wide-eyed; I sounded like a kid not getting her way.

Sakura chewed her lower lip. How am I going to get rid of this feeling so as I don't kill Kina when I hand her the ring binding Kakashi to her? Sakura raked her hands through her hair that Ino had done up so preciously. It was really going to be wasted on her if she kept doing that. This was insane; didn't Kakashi already know how she felt? Couldn't he tell? How dense is that man?

Growling in aggravation, she pulled the dress on over her niceties that kept everything from falling out or being seen. He was confusing her, breaking her down and building her anew. She sneered in the mirror, contemplating her figure. Sure, the damned dress matched her eyes, but it was one of the worst bride's maid's dresses she had ever seen. The ruffles, she shuddered and looked away from her appearance.

A lone tear dripped from her cheek as she pulled in a shuddering breath. I'm never going to have him. I'll never get to kiss that beautiful face that I know must hide behind his mask. More tears followed at this thought. I can't let go, and I can't stand there and watch him…

Her nose burned and she heard the door open. The person walked in without a word to her, as she silently cried at the loss of a love she longed for, the want that her heart yearned for. The person whom she had deduced being female spoke to her as she crossed over to the door having checked her reflection.

"Stupid, silly, naïve girl, you didn't think that he would stop this because you found out about their lies that they covered up, eh?" Kina's voice was so poisonous it had lost all the beauty it had when Sakura heard it. Sakura looked into the oceanic eyes. She sneered crudely and spoke with defiance.

"No, I didn't think he'd stop the wedding, but then again-if I were marrying a hag like you…" Sakura trailed the sentence drinking in the effect it caused. Kina's eyes widened then grew short with anger, and that's when Sakura was slapped. Sakura's head moved with the pale hand that had seemed to have never seen a day's hard work, absorbing some of the blow. The sting however, hurt worse than anything. It went deeper than the now tender skin on her cheek. It slashed through her soul and angry tears spilled down her front.

"Clean yourself up, the wedding's beginning in thirty minutes," Kina scoffed, turning on her heel, clicking out of the room in her white stilettos. Sakura got unevenly to her feet, trying to right herself. It hurt, she wasn't going to lie. It hurt worse than any torture she had encountered. Sakura sniffed and began to put cover-up on the red slowly transforming into a blue-black tint. She was half-hoping Itachi would show up after this.

"It would be nice," she said through gritted teeth, "maybe I'll even enjoy what he does. It would be a break from the ever-present feeling for Kakashi that's for sure." She choked down a sob and continued talking to herself.

"I can't start crying now. I can't stop it; I would just embarrass myself if I objected to the wedding. Kakashi would be questioned…and I don't know what would happen to me if they heard his part of the story." She laughed, but it wasn't even convincing. A knock and the creak of the door announced someone once more.

"Sakura, Kina said that you had hurt yourself, are you okay?" Sakura momentarily glared, but slowly nodded. Kakashi just smiled morosely and ruffled her hair. How could she lie and Kakashi not know about it? He could tell when she lied, couldn't he? He's known me for three years-give or take-doesn't he know what I look like when I'm lying straight to his face?

"I'm sure it'll be fine, now give me that smile." She looked at him sadly, but stretched her lips into a slightly forced smile. "That's my girl," he said hugging her softly and leaving before Sakura could latch her arms onto him. She cried out in loss once more. Her palm muffled it, but she choked, spluttering lightly. How could he not tell?

* * *

Roughly thirty minutes later, Sakura had completely taken off the make-up (thanks to her crying in excess after Kakashi's visit). She felt horrible and looked possibly worse for wear, but she didn't care. Yet she kept catching the looks Kakashi was tossing down the aisle at her. All were of concern and unspoken fears. It made Sakura uneasy; she just wanted today to be skipped and they go into tomorrow Kakashi still a bachelor and Kina going back to Wave.

She heard the orchestra from Wave start up, and she began thinking she was taking the Long Walk. She followed the flower girl tossing the rose petals.

Kakashi wouldn't let it happen. Kakashi wouldn't go through with this. More petals hit the white cloth.

He wouldn't leave me behind. He wouldn't marry her. She got into her spot, and stared blankly at the crowd. Many villagers from Wave had come to support the marriage.

Breathe, she told herself; just breathe. Don't listen, don't watch, just breathe. Her attempt to soothe herself failed. Silent tears of pain flooded down her cheeks when she handed the ring to a smug Kina. Sakura was holding her posture as well as she possibly could. It was taking all that she had in her not to run away crying. She had done that enough to know she didn't need to anymore.

She pointedly looked away from everyone one, knowing the vows to be over. Knowing what was coming next. More tears, a little bit louder this time, pushing her embarrassment aside she whispered incoherent to everyone else.

"I thought you said everything would be all right. I thought you promised." She dropped the bouquet in her hands and walked with her head held high down the aisle once again. What hurt the most was she wasn't even stopped. She knew that no one was following her; she couldn't sense anyone behind her. She walked out, alone and crying.

She stumbled to her house in her high heels. They were uncomfortable to walk in, but they were better than nothing at the present time. She slammed into the door to her house, helplessly clinging to it. She bit her lip and flung herself into its confining walls, shutting the door behind herself with difficulty.

She sat crying again, using the wall for support. She let her hair shake itself loose from the way Ino had fixed it. Bits of flowers stuck to it, as if her hair was giving the pieces life. She shook her head, but only made it worse. Her door opened.

"Leave me alone!" She screamed choking on the words. She didn't want to see whoever it could've been. Kakashi wouldn't bother showing up, so she didn't want to see whoever it was in her house.

"I'll leave then," and for once she was wrong. For once, she was elated and horribly stricken that she was wrong.

"No," she said, strangled, tears flowing once more. She groped for his hand and smiled when he obliged in helping her. The smiled broke again as she let the sobs wrack her body severely. His hand let hers go and she felt his arms wrap around her.

"Why do you do this to yourself, Sakura? I'm not always going to be the one who follows you home." She choked, making a gurgling noise slightly. He commenced the back rub he had grown accustomed to giving her when she got like this.

"You mean Itachi when you say that, don't you?" She finally spoke up after getting her voice back. She pushed away from her rescuer, her comforter. "I wish it were him here. At least I wouldn't have to worry about him and watch him betray my trust." She choked, trying to get all of her furious words out. His look changed from concerned to apathetic in one stroke. "He never had any trust in me to begin with. But you, Kakashi…" she tore her gaze from him and started speaking to the floor, a lump forming rapidly inside her throat.

"You had nothing to gain and everything to lose with that woman. You promised me things would be all right. They aren't all right. I lost faith in you, you couldn't even tell when that thing you call a wife lied to your face when she said I hurt myself. You couldn't even tell when I _lied point-blank_ to you." She felt the tears coming on hard now. Kakashi sat there, frozen by the ungodly truth she had whispered to him. He didn't know what to say to her. She had thought that he would stop the wedding. She thought everything would be all right between the two of them.

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(Kakashi POV, just a reminder)

I must be killing this girl slowly, he thought tragically. How can she be so naïve to that? He then remembered her other words. She would rather have Itachi here, I can do nothing right today can I? He pulled her into him, but she fought him. He shook her once and she stopped.

"Sakura, I am not trying to hurt you." He didn't know what else to say.

"Then what are you trying to do? It hurts Kakashi; it hurts me. I can't f-feel my heart. I c-can't understand what you're wanting. I just w-want it to go away, and w-when I'm w-with you, the pain re-releases me," she cried helplessly clutching Kakashi. He held her with the same force, if not more.

"I'm sorry," he said, burying his face in her neck, lightly brushing his masked lips over the flesh. She didn't do anything to deny him, but he wasn't going to do anything. Just holding her was enough to help him forget everything he had done, especially marrying the angry person in Sakura's doorway.

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(Sakura's POV, just a reminder again)

"So, this is where you went off to," she said poisonously sweet. Sakura went as rigid as Kakashi did. Unexplainable situations like these were never good to be caught in.

"A fifteen year-old, I ask you. I'm at least of age." She glared down at Sakura and she quailed under the look. Unnoticeable by Kina, Kakashi had tightened his grip on Sakura, making her swoon subtly. Her breathing had quickened as well.

"C'mon Kakashi, I think you've been here long enough," Kina called him down like a dog. Eighteen years old, just barely of age, and she was telling Kakashi to follow her command. Sakura stared blinded by tears; he's going to go to her.

"I'll meet you back at the house. I have to explain-"

"Explain what, exactly? She doesn't need an explanation. If anyone needs an explanation, it'd be me, your wife." Sakura whimpered, hearing the words. They hurt so badly. She knew he was going to go to her, go with her. He's going to leave and he's not going to care what happens to me.

"I said 'don't follow' and you disobey. I say 'go to the house' and yet you can't help but pry," his voice was reduced to a scorning mass. "If you are going to be my wife, you will obey me when I give you instruction." He took in a breath.

"You don't know what could happen. I am a ninja, as you know full well. If you are going to be with me, you _have_ to comply with my directions, if you don't, you could be killed, or worse, get both of us killed." Sakura felt her stomach tighten, as did her hold on Kakashi. He never said that unless he cared. He, like Sasuke, only wasted words on the few occasions that they were sent speechless.

Kakashi had told her that many times. 'Follow instructions and don't get yourself killed.' Then again, maybe if I tweak the-no, she mentally shook her head, crying hard. He would find out who did it, and…and…

"Sakura," his voice jogged her back into reality. She looked at him, he had let her go, but somehow, she had winded up exceptionally close to him. She blushed amidst her crying and felt his hand on her face.

"You wore your mask to the wedding…why?" She didn't know why she said something that random to him, but now that she had spoken the words, she really did want to know why he did.

"I didn't feel like kissing her," he played it off coolly. Then he gave her a look that nearly made Sakura unhinge herself from her ex-teacher. "Why didn't you say anything, Sakura?" She let him go and turned away from him, tears spilling once again.

"Sakura, what is so hard about telling me? I want to understand why you're so-"

"You don't get it yet?" She cried, high-pitched and hysterical, twisting around to look at him. She looked at him in disbelief, maybe he really didn't know. Yet why would he just keep pushing her buttons like this?

"Just tell me what's wrong," he sighed heavily, rubbing his head lightly. So he really didn't know. God, this is **pathetic**! How can he just look at me like that, like he hadn't come onto me two months ago…like he didn't kiss me two days ago?

"I'll tell you what's wrong with me. You're doing this…you are the one causing this…this change." She worked the words out, trying to make them sound right, but they were all wrong to her. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her into him once more. Her heart sang from the touch and wept knowing he would do this for Kina as well.

"I know," he said it as if he were defeated. She choked and coughed.

"You did?" She asked incredulous.

"I did," his voice whispered into her ear, sending chills down her spine. Then something caught up with her and she slapped him.

"How could you?" She whispered opposing the much-felt anger was brewing beneath the surface. He looked at her, hurt and pleading.

"I didn't want to believe it," he said in that same dejectedly broken tone. "She was just a distraction from you for me, and it snowballed from there." He didn't meet her eyes and she felt like she had just been the one to hurt him, instead of it being vice versa. He gathered her into his arms again, soothing her, whispering her name repeatedly until she fell asleep in his arms.

* * *

He had thought about taking over the situation, but he knew he could never do that to her again. On contrary to what she must've thought, he couldn't help himself around her. She confused him, she hated him…she loved him. She didn't care, she didn't understand it herself; it made him glad in a way, knowing she was naïve. The sweet little innocence that she still had after killing, torturing, and watching blood being shed by her friends and enemies.

She never lost that, even after being a ninja. He was happy she didn't pursue jounin ranking. Not that he thought she couldn't pull through, but the fact he _knew_ she would continue taking the test until she passed, and that would change her. Maybe she knew that herself and thought she would rather stay the way she is. He knew change threw her off; it was fun to watch her learning like that.

"Sakura," he let her name roll off his lips. She probably still didn't know, but she was changing him, bending him to her will. The thought chilled him, but also…the possibilities. He stopped walking in the dark night. He froze, seeing Kina looking livid just outside the house.

"Where have you been, 'Kashi?" Kakashi stared at the child-like woman. She strode over to him, glaring. Since when did she start calling me 'Kashi'? She poked him in the chest.

"Should I repeat myself?" She asked, fury lining her voice. He shrugged his shoulders back and slid an arm around her waist, pulling her into him. He felt a pang in his heart rise up. Sakura belonged there, not alone in her bedroom…without him. Sakura belonged in Kina's place. He sighed and walked into the house with Kina wrapped up in him.

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A/N: (can feel the flames coming on, and cowers underneath her bed) I know! I know! I'm sorry, please forgive me! I didn't mean for it to happen, I swear! (dodges some pitch forks) Look on the bright side! There was fluff! I had fluff! Please don't hate me...(can see the flames pouring in by my lovely readers/reviewers).

Please Read, Review, I take flames (of course I take flames, why else would I be talking about them)


	7. Part 2 Chapter 2

**A/N: (knows exactly how mad people are at her) I'm sorry! Please forgive me, I'm making it up as I go along and hopefully by the time everything's finished you will understand.**

**Disclaimer (doing a bad impression of Kuzco-Emperor's New Groove): No owni...no owni

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**Uncertain Feelings**

**Part 2**

**By: Apherion**

**Chapter 2: Bonds**

He woke up by the morning's light, spreading over his form, heavily covered by Kina. She had her arms around his waist, head lying on his bare chest. He resisted the urge to wake her up. Of course last night had its…pleasure, but today wasn't yesterday and he regretted now more than ever having met Kina two months back.

"_Is there something I can help you with?" Kina, someone who he hadn't seen since Sasuke and she broke it off, was looking at him intentionally, trying to see through him._

"_What are you meaning?" He answered with his usual question. Then everything went into the flurried erotica, just short of being some of the things he had been contemplating._

He slipped himself from her hold and showered. The heated water spilled down his back and through his hair. He picked up the soap and lathered it, covering his body in the substance that wasn't solid or liquid.

He turned the water off after finishing and took a towel to himself. He had to do something, he sighed disconsolately. It was catching his chest every five seconds of breathing, the grief-the regret. Sighing once more, he moved from the bathroom, back into the bedroom. Kina was still asleep.

He rummaged through his drawers as quietly as he could, and pulled out an all black wardrobe for himself. He pulled on his 'shorts' and then his pants, leaving his shirt off to the last. He had it gripped inside his hands, but the pictures on his dresser caught his gaze.

Sakura was smiling in the picture, hands on both Naruto's and Sasuke's heads, as if she was pushing herself up on them. Both boys were attempting to get her off, but the picture had flashed and both had irate looks on their faces. It made Sakura stand out even more because of that fact and not just because of her cherry blossom colored hair.

He picked up the frame with his left hand, smiling himself. She was not like the other girls her age. He had thought her pointless to be on the team. She had proved herself worthy to be in the team with Sasuke and Naruto in the end though. Her chakra control, her impeccable knowledge…Naruto was always begging her to help him, and then Sasuke would ask Naruto to tell him what she had said. Naruto would always refuse, but it was funny to watch the exchange.

He had a trip, one of the perfect adventures. Now stretching twenty-nine as far as he can, he only went on the more dangerous missions unless he decided to ask the Hokage for some of the trivial ones. He also wasn't going to be due teaching any new recruits unless the young jounins ran out. Secretly he hoped he would be able to teach again, but the strain of never having anyone pass his test, except Team 7, was just a little too frustrating for him.

He set the picture back down on his dresser and pulled the black shirt over his head. He contemplated his face in the mirror, and pulled the black mask over his head, and tucked it underneath the neck of his shirt. He sighed and picked up his hiate-ate, adjusting it to his head and pulling it over his blood red sharigan. It wasn't even six-thirty yet. He shot a look at Kina, still passed out, and then walked out of the room.

He was going to see Tsunade to talk to her about lessons for Sakura. That was all, if she were to appoint him her instructor; he couldn't refuse. He smirked beneath his mask, but it was erased. If being with your student wasn't taboo enough, seeing her while he was married had to be. He'd figure it out; eventually he would find a way that didn't hurt them both.

Seven o'clock rounded, and he found himself almost surpassing the Hokage's residence. She's going to kill me, but I don't think that she would do anything…serious. He knocked twice and was about to go for a third time when the down was nearly ripped from its hinges.

Tsunade glared down at him severely. He didn't flinch or shy away from her, he just stood there looking indifferent like he always did.

"What do you want so ear-wait, Kakashi…?" True, Kakashi never got up early on a day off or weekend, this day being both, Tsunade must've been surprised to see him on her doorstep.

"Well, Sakura told me about the whole 'Itachi' incident and I figure that she would need to be shown how to deal with those situations in which she would have no control." Somehow, what he said didn't sound as dumb as he had thought it would. Tsunade didn't look astonished; she just looked a little perturbed by the fact that Sakura had even said anything to anyone excluding herself.

"Sure, of course, I was going to get to that when I decided to wake up, which was in thirty minutes…but, as nature would have it, birds decided to begin their whistling an hour early today. Yet, I fear that I wasn't the only one who was awakened quite easily. Especially if you're up, of all people," Tsunade smiled, and Kakashi was wondering why she didn't look as old as she was. I guess being a ninja helps, he thought smiling himself.

"And you decided to come here to assist her, correct?" Well, that was the whole point of the speech.

"Yeah, of course, you're the only one for the job, Sasuke gone and all." Tsunade waved it off, "unless," she added darkly, "you've come to say that there'd be no way for you to teach her." Kakashi's head immediately went off in a huge explosion. He didn't let anything show though. He coughed and spoke, so as not to sound too eager.

"No, Lady Hokage, I _was_ indeed volunteering for the job. Having taught her once, I figured it would be no problem for me to be able for to get her to catch on." Tsunade nodded, smiling once again at him.

"I'm glad to hear that, Kakashi. Oh, how does finally being married feel?" He looked at her, trying not to stiffen at the words.

"The ceremony would have been better had Sakura not known." He made the put down quite subtle so as she wouldn't catch on to swiftly. However, his attempts weren't what you would call exemplary.

"You would've been killed if she found out about it _after_ you had gotten married." She seemed to be trying to say something without saying it. Kakashi ignored it, not wanting to bring her around to a conclusion that he didn't want her making. She shrugged her shoulders and looked at him, as he hadn't left her alone.

"Anything else you want to tell me, Kakashi?" He wanted to say, 'Get me a divorce and we'll be even', but that wouldn't be heard of, at least not by the Hokage. Kakashi just shook his head and was about to turn and walk off somewhere when Tsunade stopped him.

"Seeing as you and she both have the day off, why don't you start your training today?" Tsunade looked at him hopefully, and Kakashi was confused.

"Kina…wait; you can't be talking about her now can you?" Tsunade laughed and said,

"Sakura, pay attention Kakashi, you are turning into a kid again. Yondaime wouldn't be too pleased with you now." He laughed, his own teacher, the fourth Hokage, was the own who sealed the fox inside Naruto. Kakashi had been found of his ambitious student because he had so many traits that Yondaime had.

Sakura of course, wouldn't be pleased at getting up at roughly seven forty-five, but it couldn't be helped. After all, he would like to see her asleep again. She never had changed in the way she slept since she was four, and he would know. She was just fun to watch sometimes. He happened upon her house, and went directly to where he knew her room to be. The window was open, but he was the one to open it before leaving late from her house. He had stayed with her to watch her sleep.

He slipped inside, thankfully without breaking anything. Sakura's pink hair had spilled out over her pillow as she tossed in her sleep; now she was lying on her back. He would try and talk her into getting it cut. She's going to have trouble handling it while she trains; he lied to himself.

Her chest rose with every intake of breath and fell when she exhaled. She looked so peaceful, just like last night. He fought his inner urges as he took his place beside her, beside the bed. He leaned down and into her, carefully holding himself from falling onto her.

"Sakura," he whispered in her ear. She didn't jolt from sleep though; instead she started to talk in her sleep.

"Kakashi," her words were barely formed. He was straining to hear her soft voice.

"I won't leave," her voice was a bit stronger, and he just noticed the tears glistening on her face. "Not now, I will stay with you." He tried not to pull away when she latched onto his hand, entwining her fingers inside his. It was a simple pleasure, but it sent shivers down his back nonetheless. Then her right hand had begun running fingers through his hair. He tried not to laugh as a thought occurred to him. She's able to mess me up without being awake. I wish I knew what she was dreaming about.

He felt a tugging at his mask, jogging him back to where he was and whom he was with. His own right hand grasped hers, removing her fingers from the cloth. He saw the tears fall a little quicker. Now he was more curious to what she was dreaming about.

"Kakashi…this is my last chance to see it while you're…while you're," she choked. He let her hand go and she went back to his mask. She worked her fingers inside, and pulled it gently down, relieving the breathing burden. She touched her cool hand to the skin that had always been unseen by her. Of course, she was asleep, but still, it had never been off in her presence. Neither was the mask off in Sasuke's and Naruto's sights; not that the three haven't tried to get it off. They had even made it a secret mission only to him. The first person to get off the mask was to take a picture and they would be crowned the best of the genins. They never could get it off though.

"I can't believe she went and betrayed you," Sakura said silently. Kakashi was so thrown he couldn't stop himself from blurting out.

"Who betrayed me?" He asked in the same whisper she had been using. Her look became stern.

"Don't pretend you didn't see her take advantage of you." A gasp and shudder came from her as she stopped herself from crying. "She had no right, none at all." Her hand cupped his face, but he pulled away this time. He watched her hand fall and he replaced the mask.

"Sakura, wake up," he spoke it louder, and her eyes shot open. She started wiping at her cheeks while she sat up, adjusting her eyes. Her eyes widened then settled down after a few seconds of staring at him.

"Ka-Kakashi…what are you…doing here?" She said the sentence spaced out and out of breath. The affects of the dream were still upon her. He gave her a pat on the head and she returned to her natural, hotheaded state.

"Do that again and see what happens," she threatened in her dark tone she had with him so long ago, or at least two months felt like forever. He just shook his head.

"You have training today, get dressed." The order was just like any other he had given her. Yet she just sat there, blinking perplexedly. "Get dressed Sakura." He repeated for her slow, morning self.

"It's the weekend!" Sakura moaned, pulling the comforter up to her chin, pretending to go back to sleep. Kakashi smirked heavily and backed away from the bed. Probably thinking she had won, she got a little more comfortable and took benefit of a little longer lie in. Kakashi turned back running towards the bed and pounced on it. Sakura screamed aloud out of shock and fright. He had caught himself from landing fully on her, though the position was rather questionable.

Sakura shoved him from the bed to the floor where he made a thump, gracefully landing on his backside. He started to laugh. Sakura fought to keep her face straight so her death glare that she was giving him wouldn't be ruined. It failed though, and Kakashi looked at the foolish face she was making. He smiled at her and hit the edge of her bed with his hands.

"Get up, or I'll pounce on you again." His attempt at intimidation didn't work on her this time. She just sat there staring at him.

"That's not much of a threat, Kakashi-sensei," she said, trying in vain to hide her mirth. Kakashi however, just sat on one side of her bed.

"I guess you're right, but seriously Sakura. Get up; Tsunade's assigned you lessons on how to protect yourself against the sharigan." Sakura was silent, indulged in her thinking process. No, it didn't take her long to take in information, it was what she wanted to say or do about it that took so long for her. However, she still hadn't come up with something to say to this.

"So you didn't come here of your own free will?" How in the _hell_ did she come up with _that_ conclusion? What evidence did she have that pointed that he _didn't_ come of his own free will?

"Sakura, I went to her house to ask her about training you for it."

"Oh," Sakura said, with less gusto than usual. He rolled his visible eye and touched her hand. She looked up sharply at him.

**Sakura Point of View (**sorry I have to reduce the story's 'lining' but the lines weren't working for me, and was probably getting ya'll confused

"Sakura, please, just listen," he started. "I'm not trying to confuse you-"

"Then what are you trying to do, exactly?" She sounded hysterical, but she didn't care. This was the second time she had asked him the question that almost always sent her over the edge.

"Sakura, I…just get ready and meet me at the bridge when you're ready. I'll be waiting." He was gone in a puff of white smoke.

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A/N: Review, Review, Review, please! I love you all very much so please review. I will try my best to get the next chapter up. Remember, it doesn't take a long time to jot down a 'Update soon' (or something to that effect) in a review, so please do so.

Read, Review, I take flames


	8. Part 2 Chapter 3

**A/N: W00T! Positive reinforcement! I love you all! (throws cookies and brownies to everyone). No one has plotted-or at least I haven't been told about-mydeath yet, so I say this is going great. More updates in closer intervals now that school's ending and I'm getting more reviews (don't stop sending them, I love them very much...-stares at mob-not as much as I love you all though!). **

**BTW, picture time: doven at has this lovely photo that has inspired this part. Here's the pic!**

**http/ www . deviantart . com / deviation / 19621845 / (remember! no spaces in the address bar and comment on the pic! You can also search it under 'Blindfold' at remember to always actively dis the disclaimer (because we all secretly own Kakashi...and the other hot dudes of this anime) CHA!**

**Disclaimer: I really don't have a say in this do I?**

**Me: Nu-uh, but you know what? You're not dead...I mean twisted into...no, I meant to say you're not in the black yet so, you're okay for the moment (watches disclaimer shrink away)**

**Disclaimer(pointing finger dramatically): DON'T LISTEN TO HER-SHE DOESN'T OWN NARUTO!**

**Me: Why you little...**

**--bleep!--**

**Do to the graphic nature of this scene, the fanfiction has been sumbitted to occupy your thoughts until Apherion is done harming the disclaimer. We're sorry for this inconvience on 'Violence without Provication'.**

**--bleep!--**

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Story:

**Uncertain Feelings**

**Part 2**

**By: Apherion**

**Chapter 3: Training**

Three months, Sakura thought dragging her tongue looking out from her little post, a tree. Kakashi had taken up the offer and now Sakura was wishing he wasn't the one who was teaching her. Sure, he was renowned, sure he was someone she looked forward to seeing, but now, her image was shattered (metaphorically speaking of course). She saw a dictator of ruling that did not apply to him. She was grateful when he was sent on a mission somewhere-at the moment she couldn't recall where-and rejoiced the four days she was off the hook.

She coughed when she attempted a dry laugh. Now, no one would be able to tell how much Sakura didn't approve of the wedding that had occurred-or the training for that matter (but it was irreversible). Mostly, people had forgotten about it, but Ino and Hinata would listen to her when she needed a good talk, a long cry, and some ice cream. She told herself that the two wouldn't last long but three months had gone by and still nothing had happened in particular. She was getting agitated and frustrated.

She hopped down from the lowest branch to the forest floor, tripped, and split open her bottom lip. On all fours, blood dripped steadily onto the ground, speckling the dirt and twigs. She tugged her lip into her mouth with her tongue and teeth and began sucking on the hurt appendage. Sakura settled herself onto a tree's roots and hugged herself tightly. She then gathered herself together, and stood up, facing the tree, vaguely wondering where Kakashi had gotten off to.

Where is he, she thought desperately as rain began to pour down on her. She walked away from her little hiding spot, further into the forest. A chill began to spread from her head to her toes as the rain didn't let up and her clothes became soaked. The temperature was dropping quite nicely thanks to the water falling persistently on her. She was constantly shivering, and the sky was steadily becoming darker. The wind began to pick up, streaming both her vision and the water. Rustling began somewhere in her midst, the sound making her paranoid. Uchiha Itachi, the thought brought her paranoia to a deafening brink. She began to run, like a fleeting doe, to anywhere besides where she was.

A hand, followed by an arm, snaked its way around her waist, forcing her into a solid body. Sakura tried to struggle free, oh god! It's him; tears welled inside her emerald eyes. She tried to imagine that it wasn't Itachi that was holding her so very close to his body. She didn't want to feel the pain again that he had induced. Tears leaked out her closed eyes, flowing down her cheeks, mingling with the rain.

"Sakura, its okay," her thoughts were interrupted as Kakashi's voice entered her mind, filtering out all of her thoughts. She shook her head with her eyes still closed; refusing to believe that it really was Kakashi.

"Sakura, you've got to listen to me." She furrowed her brow and opened one eye, squinting through the rain. It was Kakashi holding her. She let out a sigh of relief before flinging her arms about his neck, hugging him to her.

"Thank you," she whispered to no one in particular. She felt Kakashi's gaze drift on her more intently than it had been. She pulled back from the hold just enough to look into his face. Oh how she loved his face, and she felt the tears threaten to fall on her. She blinked them away, even though she was sure she could cry and him not know that it were her tears and not the rain.

"Sakura," he groaned, sitting down on the floor of the forest, being her down with him. A twinge of hurt filled her, but it was banished almost at once when she felt his arms encircle her waist. She snuggled into his soaking wet chest. She was tired and her chakra was low; he wouldn't question her lying on top of him, using him as a pillow. She grinned at the thought and almost felt him push her gently.

"Kakashi," she said, he made a noise indicating that he was listening. "You're a fricken hypocrite, you know that?" She never said that to him, but given the circumstances, she really wasn't in his book, so it didn't matter anymore.

"Really, I'm the hypocrite?" As if he didn't know, what an, "Sakura, just let it go okay? I'll walk you"-she sat up and held up a hand for him to save it. She wasn't going to let him walk her to her place. She didn't need his contrition protection, if she needed to be protected, she didn't want the protection he was going for. She didn't want the perfect savor to go to his own address, with someone else to love. She chewed her lip, kneading it softly. Kakashi gave her a concerned look.

"Stop it Kakashi, just stop it!" She jumped to her feet. She was tired of it, sick and tired of listening to his voice, the voice that granted both pleasure and pain for her. She stamped her foot into the ground, creating a nice sized hole with the chakra levels in her body running haywire. Kakashi didn't flinch, but he did seem to get wary after her foot connected with the earth. Water began to fill the crevice that she had created. She watched it without real conviction.

The silence that followed was almost unbearable.

Her ears caught a sound drifting through the trees and chills ran through her body uncontrollably. She shook, the noise was eerie and not of this world. It was getting a bit nippy, her thin clothes soaked through and all.

"Kakashi, what was-?" He had her by the shoulders with one arm and was covering her mouth with the other when the sound formed again, closer. Her heart beat inside her chest, threatening to come through her chest. She could feel that she was slightly bouncing, like she had being shocked every time her heart rapped on her ribs.

Despite her fear, she couldn't help but feel overly excited by being so close to him. Her back pressed firm into his taut, muscular chest. She melted into him, fearing only the things outside of Kakashi's touch. It was over too fast for Sakura when he let her go.

"Sakura," he was giving her the concerned look again. "I'm walking you to your house whether you want me to or not," he said forcefully. The look in his eye was no different either. "I will protect you at all costs." Sakura looked at him as he let her go. Her eyes met his and she felt like she should tell him that she wasn't worth it, but the sentence wouldn't form. She closed her mouth and nodded, feeling his jacket being placed over her shoulders.

They walked in silence, but for some reason Kakashi was standing close to her. Sakura didn't mind it, but there was barely an inch between herself and the (married) Copy-nin. She stopped and prepared herself for him to collide with her, but-like she already knew-he didn't. Instead, his hands went to her shoulders, covered by his jacket.

"What's wrong," he asked from behind her. Sakura focused on their close proximity, elated despite the rain echoing her true mood. She shook her head in answer to his first question, and then elaborated for him.

"I just wanted to know why you were walking so close to me…not that I minded, I was just…" she broke off feeling a bit awkward. Why was he suddenly feeling the need to be beside her? He was married for crying out loud (too many times in fact).

"You're not really dressed for this weather and I figured you would freeze," his words were soft, barely audible thanks to the storm driving his voice away. She touched his hand with hers. He's being so considerate to me… She sighed softly, unheard by Kakashi however.

"Thanks," she whispered, not knowing if he had heard her or not. It was impossible for her to care that he was sworn off to another. It was inappropriate (for both her and him) to be together, but she wanted it so badly.

They began to walk again, in solitary silence. Kakashi wasn't increasing his pace, staying directly behind her, and still with the same distance between them (practically non-existent). When they reached the outside of the forest, Kakashi latched onto Sakura, gripping her as if his life depended upon her being there.

"What's wrong, Sen…Kakashi?" His grip was numbing her shoulders and arms rapidly. The feeling in both was almost gone, leaving that unpleasant tingling sensation in its wake. She was more worried now. Kakashi hadn't done something like this in a long time, when they fought Orochimaru.

"Sorry, Sakura, I just thought that you…never mind." He let her go and they began walking to her house. He was acting very strange. Maybe he lost someone during a particularly rainy mission, Sakura mused as their proximity between each other still didn't lengthen. Perhaps someone he liked. Sakura noticed that his stature was a bit edgy. Wait…didn't Kakashi just get back from a mission from the Sound village? Realization hit her hard, clutching her stomach rapidly. She unconsciously sped up, making Kakashi walk faster, but…

She stopped in her tracks seeing red eyes in front of her. They whirled and sent her spinning into her own mind, but she fought back. She would be damned if she was going to let Itachi take her over again. She punched the blurring figure in front of her, and the sharigan's affect wore off instantly. She saw a shorter figure with the same black hair and red eyes like Itachi, but it wasn't him.

"S-Sasuke…?" She looked at him, afraid that he had actually used it on her. He disappeared before she could fully comprehend what had happened. Then she remembered Kakashi.

She turned around. Expecting Kakashi to be close by, but she couldn't see him anywhere until… He looked dazed and out of it, as if inside his own mind. She ran over to him, clutching his forearms, shaking him.

"Kakashi-sensei, snap out of it! Kaka…" she broke off, swaying lightly as she finally caught the scent of blood. Tears spilled unknown to her from her eyes, looking frantically where he had been wounded. She couldn't find it and the clothes weren't being bled through.

"I don't care if you'd rather die than to admit you need help, but you're coming with me." She circulated chakra around herself so as she could lift Kakashi and sprint to Tsunade's. I can't let you die on me. I still want you to see me kick your wife's ass (although she substituted 'wife' for another word).

"Tsunade-sama," Sakura shouted, pounding hard on the door with her fists. She was exhausted trying to hold Kakashi up and scream and knock on the door. The door flew open.

"What is the meaning of this…? My god Sakura, bring him in here." Tsunade, in a red satin bathrobe, helped Sakura bring an unconscious Kakashi over the threshold. Immediately, Tsunade made a place to lie Kakashi down.

"Where did you find him?" She asked Sakura fretfully, as she haphazardly washed and dried her hands.

"He was walking me to my house." The simple statement roused suspicion in the Hokage.

"Why was he walking you home?" Sakura was taken aback by the question then she realized what Tsunade was implying. He's married; quit making me have to remember that!

"No, not like that, Tsunade-sama; we finished training. It started to pour, so he offered to walk me." Regardless of her inner mood, she sounded calm and patient in explaining the things she kind of wished went the way Tsunade was thinking.

"Then why is your outfit torn?" Tsunade fixed her with a stern look. Sasuke must've done that…

"Tsunade, nothing happened, I climbed a tree before Kakashi found me during training, I must've torn it then," Sakura invented quickly, not wanting to explain about Sasuke, covering for him. She nodded, as if approving of Sakura's explanation, then franticness overcame her.

"What happened to his jacket, the one he always wears?" Sakura nodded and placed a hand on her own shoulder…yet the article of clothing wasn't there.

"It must've fallen off my shoulders when I noticed him in a trance in the street." Sakura sneezed loudly and excused herself. She wasn't going to tell the Hokage about Sasuke attacking her.

"Why was it on your shoulders?" Tsunade asked, yet again suspicious.

"If you hadn't noticed how thin the clothing I'm wearing," Sakura said with a bit of impatience in her voice. Tsunade raised her eyebrows at her and Sakura was forced to keep going.

"I tell you nothing happened between us, why are you so wary of the situation between Kakashi and me?" Tsunade sighed clearly, walking over to the laid-out Kakashi. Sakura knew exactly why, but she didn't understand why Tsunade would actually go that far as to _suggest_ that she and he had something going on. He was married, and no matter what Sakura could do about it…well, there wasn't any point and wishing for it because she couldn't do a thing about it now, could she?

"It's…nothing," Tsunade said, stripping Kakashi of his shirt, revealing his cut upper-half of his body. Sakura inwardly swooned, even though she had seen it before. She was surprised that Tsunade left the mask on, but she figured if she wasn't there, Tsunade would've done so.

Sakura watched Tsunade's hurried inspection, neither talking to the other. The blonde finally moved back from Kakashi to look at the pink-haired chuunin.

"Were you attacked?" Sakura's medical instructor asked her sternly. Sakura shook her head, furthering her lying.

"Not that I knew of, I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary," Sakura said coolly. Tsunade looked at her suspiciously.

"You were attacked," she said plainly, holding up a long, thin stick. A senbon needle, Sakura thought shocked, and in combination with the sharigan I bet.

"Will he be all right?" She asked her eyes wide, playing the part as best as she knew how to.

"Yes, it's nothing too damaging. It hit his nervous system so that must've been why he was knocked unconscious like Hinata was." Sakura nodded, remembering all too well what happened to Naruto's girlfriend. Tsunade walked away after putting Kakashi back in his shirt. Probably to go finish off what she was doing beforehand, Sakura thought savagely.

Kakashi woke up in a matter of minutes after Tsunade's departure; looking around trying to register where he was. Sakura put a reassuring hand on his and he sat up taking it inside his own hand. Before Sakura knew it, he was pulling her towards the door without saying anything. Sakura managed to shout good-bye to Tsunade before Kakashi had her and himself properly out the door.

**Kakashi Point of View**

"What the hell, Sakura?" He looked at her, both of them needed to talk, and now. Sakura avoided his gaze, but he put his hands on her shoulders and shook her.

"Why was _he_ attacking you? Last I checked; Itachi was fighting you, not Sasuke." Sakura didn't say a word as he dragged her to her place. He opened the door; it wasn't locked. He pulled Sakura over the threshold and shut the door behind them.

"Well, Sakura, why is Sasuke showing interest in you now? You're becoming quite popular amongst the Uchihas," he was agitated. Sakura trembled on her weakening legs that were barely holding her up. He caught her 'round the middle.

"I d-don't n-know," she said, stuttering a bit. She's probably cold, running through the rain twice in one night. He noticed the torn training outfit.

"Did he do anything?" He was worried; he had tried to teach her how to protect herself, but… God, please don't let anything to have happened.

"N-no…nothing h-happened," she sneezed and excused herself. Thank you, he sighed gratefully.

"All right Sakura, I'll see you later then. I don't want you getting too sick on me." He said it and he left, walking towards the pub for a couple drinks with Genma and Asuma; maybe he'd pull Iruka into the bar as well. That man never has fun, he thought, but passed on the idea of getting the academy teacher, too intent on getting drunk.

**Sakura Point of View**

Sakura stared at the now closed door with disbelief. Was he really that concerned about her?

"It's not like he'll kiss you again, Sakura. So just let it go. He's a man and he's married. And by the looks of it, Tsunade doesn't want you together, so it doesn't matter. You're fifteen and you've got a lot of years ahead of you," Sakura tried cheering up, but it really wasn't working. Soon enough, she was in tears with no one to comfort her.

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**A/N: Fortunetely you got to see the next chapter, unfortunetely you didn't see how I came out the victor in the battle between thedisclaimer and myself. Let's just say someone's going to be filling in for him for the next few updates (we'll miss him because he made things hilarious before we got into the whole stroy).**

**I wrote some of this for another fic that I don't have posted on here (or anywhere actually because it's still in my documents, lol). So, I hope you liked it after all the editing I've done to this chapter (the lemon, yes I said 'lemon', that I will be throwing in here somewhere in the future I already know will be horrible to write...for all those 'Mature' rating fans, yes this fic will eventually get there, so keep your fingers crossed. I'm consulting with my muse for help, so, all's well).**

**Review! Review! Review! Review! I take flames! And citisism (for my bad spelling and whatever else you might wanna add in there too).**


	9. Part 2 Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Apherion is not feeling up to right anything hysterical as it is 10:12 at night her time and she wishes to speak with her friend on YIM (she nearly just typed 'YUM' instead of that).

She doesn't own this fic, even though we all know that she wishes to and that she one day hopes to create something that will bring Anime characters alive. Thank you, enjoy the reading!

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Uncertain Feelings

**Part 2**

**By: Apherion**

**Chapter 4: Mission**

The next day, Sakura went to the medic building. Tsunade wouldn't be coming in until later that day, so Sakura made the executive decision to start on the easy load of work that had been laid out before her by the other medics. Only a few of the jounin teams had been sent out on missions, and one-if not two-would be coming in tonight. Sasuke wouldn't be in either of course, but Naruto is.

It's a shame, Sakura thought as she walked down the halls in her white medic-nin suit. Hinata _should_ become a jounin, that way she and he wouldn't have to be torn apart so much. She stacked a couple of papers and took hold of the medicine cart, some of its supplies were running low and she was going to be restocking them for the day ahead. She just knew someone was going to badly hurt.

"Working already Sakura?" Shinta had come around the corner, looking expectantly at her. She nodded.

"Hm, yeah, I guess so. The cart needed some more of that new green ointment that Tsunade-sama had come up with, so I was going to replace it…is there something wrong?" Shinta's eyes had become a little unfocused and she pointed behind Sakura. Sakura turned and saw Ten-ten supporting a weak Temari. Sakura gasped and rushed over with the help of Shinta, pulling Temari as quickly and as gently as she could to a room.

"Temari, what happened?" Sakura interrogated as soon as she could. Temari coughed and Gaara entered the room. Shinta stepped away from the redheaded boy, out of fear more or less.

"We were just coming back from Sand to talk with Hokage Tsunade when _this_ treachery happened." He spoke with dignified disdain, looking at his suffering sister.

"Who did it?" Sakura asked, gently placing a hand on Temari's head, feeling for the problem from the starting point. Gaara didn't answer immediately.

"Sasuke," he replied coldly. The focus Sakura had on Temari was broken for a second and she cursed herself and she re-gathered her chakra to locate Temari's injury. Only half of her focus was on Temari though, the other half fully listening and waiting for Gaara to continue.

"He came out of nowhere and attacked like we were his enemy, and he knows full well that Sand and Leaf have made an alliance to come to one another's aid if needed." He sighed and rubbed his temples worriedly.

"I being the Kazekage of Sand, my people weren't willing to let me go by myself, but I insisted that I was to go alone. Temari said to me to at least let her come with, and I gave, my older sister you know? Even though Tsunade had made it clear she only wanted who was necessary for the discussion we were to be having as soon as I got here." He seemed distressed, if not guilty for letting Temari come with him. He had briefed her like an equal, even though she was below him. Sakura always found respect for this now coming man, for he never gave up and he was so powerful.

"Temari took him on, as I was further behind her, but she was almost killed if I hadn't stepped in as soon as I saw the exchange." He sighed and settled himself in a chair. "I couldn't believe that he would actually attack us though." Gaara shook his head, slightly blurring the appearance of 'love' written in kanji on the left side of his forehead. The black rimming of his eyes stared hungrily at his hands, needing the truth to help him. He was so dangerous, him and Sasuke both were scary to be put up against. But I've been against Itachi…I know what it's like to have the sharigan used on someone; I know what it feels like and for Sasuke to attack me, then attack these two… She felt a shiver pass through her.

"What's wrong with her?" Gaara finally asked; straightening in his chair as Sakura straightened herself from the bed.

"Temari has some head trauma, but it's nothing irreversible. She'll be out of it for a few hours to a couple of days. Do you know if…?" She choked on the name, unable to get it to form. "Sasuke used any special techniques on her?" Gaara shook his head.

"No, I told you I was behind her and I only got there just as he was about to finish her," he replied patiently. Sakura blushed at her moment of lacking attention. She couldn't help it though; the mention of Sasuke blew her away completely.

"Sorry, but come along, we'll let Shinta finish up here." Shinta nodded her brown head and Sakura walked Gaara from Temari's hospital room. Sakura had barely entered the 'waiting room', so to speak, when she heard Tsunade's voice call out to her.

"Sakura, what are you doing with Gaara? Where's Temari?" Sakura stared blankly and then remembered; today just wasn't her day for attentiveness.

"Temari's back there," Sakura pointed behind her, "passed out in a room," she added. "Gaara is with me because he was telling me what happened to her. You need to hear about it, it's…it's about…Sasuke," her voice had something acute of grief, but she tried to hide it. Tsunade beckoned Gaara forward and then thought better of leaving Sakura just standing there.

"Go and get Kakashi, he needs to hear this too." With that, she and Gaara disappeared almost at once. Get Kakashi; get Kakashi, she shrieked inside her head. God, why do I have to see him again…he'll be furious like he was last time. Sakura groaned and disappeared in the same puff of smoke that the jounins knew how to do. Kakashi training her had helped a lot.

She appeared in front of his house almost instantaneously. She rapped hard with her knuckles on the door. She kept hammering until someone opened the door. She was about to slam her fist into it when the door opened and she fell against the chest of her ex-teacher.

"Sakura, what on earth, why are you here?" He questioned as she blushed furiously and backed off him.

"Tsunade-sama wants a word with you, immediately." He placed his back to the hallway's wall and allowed Sakura entrance. She looked at him in wonder, but walked by him, inside his house.

"What's so urgent?" He asked indifferent, muffled by him pulling on a shirt over his head. Sakura was amazed that his mask didn't come off, but she didn't let it show on her face.

"Gaara and Temari are here," Sakura said quickly and Kakashi raised an eyebrow at this.

"Then why does she want me there, a promotion?" He joked, but stopped at the stern look he was being given by Sakura.

"No, Temari was attacked," he motioned for her to keep going if she had more to go on. "Sasuke ambushed them." To say the least, Kakashi's jaw dropped, but not from what Sakura could see. Let's say instinct informed her.

"God, so that's why," he whispered, sustaining his balance. Sakura looked at him concerned for a second, but then turned from her urgent message that Tsunade was telling her to get Kakashi and get back.

"Why'd you invite me in? _Keikoku_ (siren-mythical sea creature that lures men into the sea to drown) not home, Kakashi?" She laughed bitterly. "Come on, Tsunade's going to kill me if we don't get there soon." Sakura grabbed his arm, but he stopped her.

"Sakura stop being like that, I swear that's all we _ever_ fight about." He sighed heavily, but Sakura flared.

"What, you actually _care_ now? I don't need anyone or anything-especially sympathy-to keep me going. You _never_paid attention to me until Naruto went off with Jiraiya and Sasuke left last year. Tsunade trained me, and you finally see my potential. I foolishly developed feelings-things ninjas shouldn't have I suppose-for you. I didn't want to think that I had, but…I had." Words were coming easy to her, almost as fast as the tears that were falling down her face.

"But of course, I have no willpower to help me fight the jealousy, and here I am talking to you, telling you right here and now, I can't take it anymore!" Her breathing was shot; she couldn't understand why he was so bent on getting her to confess. Yet, she had done it of her own free will.

"Trickery," she said under her breath as she watched him smile knowingly.

"Bitterness," he said, opening the door, motioning for her to leave. She glared at him as she walked out the door.

"Careful, that beautiful face my stay like that…not that I'd mind it like it is." He winked, and Sakura narrowed her eyes at him. She knew what he was trying to do, but she didn't like that he was being a child about it. She took his arm and transported both her and him into Tsunade's office.

"Finally, Gaara has completely covered the information and I need to speak with you Kakashi, Gaara, you may stay as you and I are in the same boat, but Sakura-no offense-but I have to ask you to leave." Tsunade wasn't offending her, no, but she wished she could find out what was going to happen, Sakura being a curious person in the first place.

"I'll be a good girl, Tsunade-sama," Sakura said with a bow and exiting the room, not turning her back on the group of three extraordinary ninjas.

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Sakura jumped to her feet when she heard a crashing sound in the entrance of the medic building. She ran and found herself face to face with Naruto, being supported by Hinata and Ino. Shikamaru heaved a sigh, lumbering in with several senbon needles protruding from him.

"God, what happened to you all? First Temari, now you two," Sakura cried, shocked. Naruto looked dazed and out of it, a bubble of blood forming at the corners of his mouth. He looked drunkenly at Sakura.

"Saakra…youse looks…fooney," he slurred before clasping in Hinata and Ino's arms.

"Shikamaru, what the hell, you two went on a mission and this is the condition I get you in. What went wrong?" She asked firmly while trying to help Ino and Hinata sustain Naruto.

"Sound-nin and missing-nin came after us…" Shikamaru started, breathing heavily. "We lost them…or at least, we thought we had…" more deep breathing. "I looked out from above and Naruto took below. I got pinned to a tree with these things," he motioned to the senbon needles and the various places blood was spreading from.

"When I got to Naruto, he was like that; I only saw the retreating backs of a traitor and his groupies." He finished, collapsing into a chair in the waiting room. Tsunade, Kakashi, and Gaara came into view after their long discussion. It had to have lasted several hours, for it was ten o'clock when they entered the room. Now, four in the afternoon, with two severely injured jounins in the lobby, it was about damn time.

"Sakura, I thought you could handle things here," Tsunade said with a bite of cold fury setting on her student.

"Uh…Sensei…if I…had control…over these two…they wouldn't have…gotten…hurt," Sakura heaved, trying to talk while helping support someone twice the size of the three girls holding onto him. Kakashi stepped in and took Naruto off of their shoulders.

"Down the hall, right door," Sakura stumbled, trying to catch her breath. Kakashi nodded and took Naruto where Sakura had instructed like it was no problem. Hinata looked at Sakura and Tsunade for some reassurance. Ino went straight to Shikamaru and put a hand to his head. A silence followed that enveloped every bit of them.

"Sakura-san, Temari's woken up," Shinta had made her reappearance in just a few seconds after Kakashi left, bringing back noise.

"Good, good, Shinta-get someone to help you bring Shikamaru into the room next to Temari's would you?" Shinta nodded and did as she was told. Then someone very unwelcome burst through the doors.

"Where's 'Kashi…oh, Lady Hokage, have you seen him?" Kina, Sakura thought reproachfully, get out of here and never return.

"Sakura will gladly show you where he is," Tsunade stated wearily. Sakura gave her a look that said plainly, 'me?' Tsunade shot a sharp look and Sakura nodded respectfully.

"What, 'Kashi's hurt?" Her voice was so…full of it, Sakura wanted to just hit her. She resisted the urge her other persona was telling her to do.

Kick her ass; just kill her. No one will care. She deserves it, being all phony. Sakura didn't laugh when she heard this come from herself.

Stop that; I can't do that. She's Kakashi's wife and I have to learn to accept that fact.

Bull, girl-you _know_ you're lying to me. I can tell you know.

"No, he's fine, Kina-san," Sakura bit out. "Follow me, and if you keep your mouth shut I won't kill you," she added underneath her breath.

That a girl, her inner self said, patting her on the back. It's going to take more than that to get under your skin.

We already know two who can. Kakashi is one-the obvious-and…Itachi. She shivered at the last account, three months ago. The feeling was mutual between her and Inner Sakura. Yet why was it Sasuke who attacked her yesterday?

The way Itachi had touched her; feeling her up like she was some doll. The way he kissed her; ravishing and hungry. She stopped herself; she didn't want to think about the rest. Even so, she didn't think Itachi would let his brother try the same thing.

"In here," Sakura said, walking in first, seeing Kakashi looking at Naruto with concern. He looked up and saw Sakura, but he did not smile at her. Kina drew his attention away from her, and Sakura ignored the exchange between the 'happy couple'. Hinata had followed hesitantly, and Sakura walked over to her and brought her into the room before setting to work on her friend. The kunoichi touched his head and felt around with her chakra. He needs…

"Hinata, stand right here and hold his hand, he's going to need your help with this one." Sakura smiled at her while she followed the instruction without delay. Sakura then rubbed her hands together, gathering chakra held tightly by friction. She remembered everything that happened to Naruto in the past. How annoying he was and how he failed to bring Sasuke back, and most importantly, how she knew Akatsuki would come after him. They probably attempted that today, she thought worriedly as she placed one hand on his forehead and one on his chest. She pushed on his body and his eyes shot open.

Naruto looked wildly around, and caught Sakura's glance. She smiled and petted his head like he was a child. Hinata squeezed his hand to let him know she was also there.

"Naruto what happened," Kakashi spoke as soon as he saw that Naruto was up. Sakura looked at him before considering that there was something else to it. He wasn't letting Kina get a word in. Surprisingly, Sakura didn't care. She was becoming indifferent to him, like she was when she was his student. She remembered pleading with Sasuke to let her go with him so they could be together.

"I…Sasuke," he said breathily, trying not to faint once again. Sakura kept her hand on his head.

"He's got a fever, let him rest," she found herself saying exactly what her 'inside' friend was about to say. She ignored her personality flicker and stared coldly at Kakashi and his…

"Sakura-Chan," Hinata put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed lightly. The bold move was strange coming from a very shy girl. Sakura looked 'round at her friend.

"Hn," Sakura muttered bitterly, pushing away from the group, but was stopped at the door by Tsunade and Gaara. Sakura made a motion that would allow her to be excused, but Tsunade shook her head.

"No, everyone in this room is involved with the conversation about to take place. Temari's also entailed to this, but having already informed her, there simply wasn't any use of bringing her out of her bed." Sakura turned around and sat in one of the comfy looking seats that she knew were beyond their appearance. She stared hard eyed at Kina and Kakashi, the latter returning it, only it wasn't a condensed glare, it was a gaze of sympathy. Sakura shot to her feet, insulted by the look.

**Kakashi Point of View**

Why was she acting so weird? Kakashi stared dumbfounded that she was looking beyond pissed at him. She had jumped to her feet as if just stuck by a pin. Her fists were quaking softly against her white medical uniform. He sighed and looked away. Hormones, he thought, must be allowing her more violent side to overcome her now. First her crying like mad, now intense anger…I can't seem to do anything right.

But she has a reason to want to take her life and kill you. If you don't remember, the woman standing next to you is the whole reason most of this started. Kakashi groaned and put a hand on his head.

Yes, I do remember, but I also let my _own_ self-control slip and I ran her under overwhelming confusion. He was feeling just a bit argumentative with himself at the moment.

And it was your fault for not realizing she might have had feelings for you! He mentally hung his head in defeat. It was true; he never stopped to think through the two months that she and he didn't speak that she might've had something for him.

"I feel like such an idiot," he said so quietly, no one had heard him.

"What's the meaning of this then? We're all different levels of ninja Tsunade-sama, so how can we possibly go on the same mission?" Kakashi looked back at Sakura. She had somehow worked that out before Tsunade had spoken. She really is going to end up surpassing Tsunade one of these days, catching on like that.

"Well, I figure that five jounins, three chuunins, and a medic-nin would suffice as a good group to go and seek out Sasuke." Kakashi already knew this and tuned it out. He didn't need to hear it again. He delved into his thoughts once more.

Sakura, he thought, looking at her form that had appeared in his mind's eye. He returned to the kiss he had given her. He would definitely be given more opportunities to be with her like that. The mission would help plenty of things. Retrieving Sasuke, repairing my relationship with Sakura, and Kina…would be forgotten. He forced the thoughts from his mind as quickly as he could when he heard his name.

"Yo," he answered in his usual manner. He heard Naruto and Hinata laugh, he blinked and saw Tsunade and Gaara had left and that Sakura was trying to get his attention.

"You," he watched her eyes dart, her normal way to come up with something in replace of a curse word. She never had called him anything of that magnitude before. He vaguely wondered what she would look like if she accidentally let one slip in his presence. Probably blush like mad and beg for forgiveness; or just act like she is now and really give me the chewing out that I deserve.

"Kakashi, pay attention to what I'm saying for five seconds at the least. I deserve that much." He looked at her, softly like he had before, hoping she wouldn't fly off the handle again.

"'Kashi doesn't have to listen to you if he doesn't want to," Kina threw in smugly, but something inside Sakura snapped and she lunged for the girl, looking murderous. Kakashi intercepted her, but she didn't calm down. She was actually doing a great job at trying to get him to release her.

"Let me go, Kakashi. Let me kill her," her voice was dark, much like Sasuke's tone that he normally had used. He almost did when he heard it and it registered.

"Like you could, Kiddy," Kina mocked her, and now Kakashi knew what Sakura was talking about when he had spoken with her after the wedding. They obviously didn't like each other and it was apparent it wasn't over an old relationship.

"Don't start with me, bitch. Sooner or later, I'm going to get out of his hold and you won't be waking up for a good while," Sakura threatened just before sinking her teeth into one of his hands, taking one of her hands and pulling his other away from her. Shock and a twinge of pain ran threw his body and Sakura didn't have him holding her back anymore. Anger boiled in her aura and Kakashi didn't intervene in the fight yet.

Kina jumped away, retreating slightly before running straight for Sakura. Sakura slid underneath Kina, the heel of her hand whipping around, colliding with Kina's back once, twice, but no damage was inflicted. Kina turned, grabbing Sakura's long hair, drawing out a kunai. She sliced it; pink locks of hair fell limp to the floor, released of their nutrition source.

Sakura screamed enraged at Kina for cutting her hair off. She dove for Kina, catching her by the shoulders, wrestling with her. Kina overthrew her easily, tossing her hard onto the floor where Sakura's head made contact. She lied there still and unmoving and Kina approached her, settling her foot on top of Sakura's chest, pressing into the un-exposed flesh, pinning her to the tiled floor.

Sakura took hold of the ankle and sent a surge of chakra through the hand. Kina withdrew with a wail of pain. Sakura stood up, blood mingling with her cut hair from when she cracked her head on the tile flooring. She walked tenderly towards a wounded Kina.

"I'll teach you to do that!" Kina spat, staggering to her feet, but the instant that she set weight on her broken ankle, she crumpled, blacked out. Sakura approached her and sat her unceremoniously on the chair she had long since abandoned. She set to work on her head, utilizing her chakra to repair the damage that the floor had inflicted. She then commenced with her hand seals and healed Kina's broken ankle.

"If I wasn't a medic-nin I wouldn't have done that for her. And if she wasn't your wife, I wouldn't have just injured her ankle." Sakura cold voice reached his stunned ears. Seeing Sakura fight with that much intensity was foreboding. The fight had ended within minutes. Kakashi knew she could've passed the jounin test with ease after that show. She had never been that intense in any practice sessions he had put her through.

"I'm sorry," he said to her, and he hugged her tightly, saying without words that he wished he didn't have to let go. They broke apart when they heard footsteps approaching the room he, Sakura, Kina, Hinata, and Naruto were stationed in.

"What's going on? We just heard," Tsunade's eyes looked over the scene, fresh blood on the floor, pink hair strewn about the room, and a conked out Kina on the uncomfortable couch. Her eyes flicked to Sakura and then Kakashi.

"Me, Tsunade-sama," Sakura spoke quickly. "She proceeded to push me, my blood-and obviously that's my hair-is on the floor, but everything that was injured was fixed." Sakura animated her words by pointing at Kina and the blood. Tsunade's shoulders sank and she looked at her student.

"I thought you better Sakura, but no matter. Clean up the blood and everything's all right." Tsunade turned to leave, but stopped.

"I hope you all realize this mission will take a long time. Months, maybe even years, I wish you didn't have to leave during this time of year, but it can't be helped. I'm sorry for doing this to you all." Kakashi nodded and felt that Sakura had as well. His mask itched against his nose, but he refused to scratch it just yet. It had become uncomfortably hot in the room as well.

"It doesn't matter, the sooner we leave the better," Naruto spoke up and Tsunade nodded.

"That's right, oh, yes. Kakashi," he looked at the Hokage. "You will be in charge of Sakura, with Ino and Shikamaru's help, seeing as medic ninjas are vital for these missions; we need the best helping her." Sakura blushed, but grinned when she heard the news. Kakashi also liked it, more of a reason to spend time with her, even though Kina would be hanging around.

"Temari will watch after Kina, and Naruto will watch over Hinata, agreed?" They all nodded save for Kina, who was out of it, and Temari, who was in another room. Tsunade nodded to them all and left the room, leaving him feeling a bit better about the mission they would begin as soon as Temari and Naruto healed.

He wasn't too huffed at Sakura for what she had done to Kina. Kina had been looking for trouble with him for a good long while, calling him "'Kashi" like he was some kid. Three months of it wore him thin as a sheet, he was astounded at his will power, and five months ago proved that even though the light spring, love-love mood couldn't break it. Not with Sakura back then, not with Kina now.

He followed suit, leaving the room in silence. Kina would show up home pissed, he would beat her at arguing, and then they'd make-up. What a life he had, eh? It was to be expected…only what if it was Sakura coming home to him instead of Kina? He shook his head, berating himself.

You screwed that chance up when you met Kina; I thought we went through this. His head chided him for his lack of an attention span. The longing for Sakura had been evident ever since he had chosen his fate with Kina, but the evil monkey on his back told him that this mission could be the perfect thing. It wouldn't shut up after Tsunade told him that he, Kina, Sakura, Ino, Shikamaru, Hinata, and Naruto would be going on a search for Sasuke.

"_It would be very easy to make it look like an accident, and Sakura would be all too happy to comply in backing you up when you…told the _tragic_ tale of your wife…jumping off a cliff."_ He tried to suppress his smirk when it voiced this inside his head. Yeah, I know Sakura would _definitely_ go along with that, especially after seeing her fight Kina.

He entered his place of residence to find it completely empty and dark. He hit the light switch and watched the light flood the entire hallway. More evil thoughts encountered his brain when he threw off his shirts and mask.

"_She could be taking a dip in the river and drown by getting caught in the under toe."_ He shook his head and climbed into bed. He wouldn't do that to her. He had no reason. Divorce was better at any rate, but it would be easier if he got her to the point where she wanted him to go. He smiled and sank further into his pillows, happy to have some excuse to fall asleep.

**Sakura Point of View**

Sakura looked down at Kina, then at Hinata and Naruto. She smiled at her friends and vaguely wondered if Ino and Shikamaru had left yet. She fingered her remaining tresses of hair. The second time, she thought bitterly. Having cleaned everything up moments before, she returned her focus to her friends that were present.

"Hinata," she said softly, "if you and Naruto weren't my friends, I'd have to ask you to leave, but. Seeing as Kina's the only person I wish ill of, you're fine," she grinned, trying not to laugh. Naruto did and so did Hinata; taking her off as joking when she was being serious. Sakura wasn't going to correct them. They could think what they wanted to, it didn't matter to her. Sakura waltzed over to Kina and slapped her cheeks gently, making cooing noises.

"Wake up, Kina-Chan," Sakura said in her poison-sweet voice. Kina mumbled and turned over, sucking her thumb. Sakura looked at her, then at the other two, and then they all burst into laughter as a group. Kina woke suddenly.

"Huh-what…what is it…where am I?" Sakura clutched her stomach, laughing so hard. Kina's eyes rested on her and Sakura felt the intense glare.

"Yeah, I shattered your ankle, but you should be able to walk on it." Sakura mocked thinking for a second then added, "I'm sorry to tell you this, but your 'crutch' isn't here. He went home for the night, assured that you were okay and all. What can I say? I'm a rather good medic." Kina sat up and went to stand only to stiffen.

"Oh, which reminds me, you need to stretch it before walking on it. That way, you don't break it again, because I might not be so generous to you." All Kina could do was glare at Sakura.

"You're precious hair is still lying on the floor, Sakura," Kina made a stab at ridiculing her, but failed as she tried pressing her foot to the ground again. Sakura laughed at her.

"Well, I'll see everyone in two days time. See how everything's going," Sakura yawned for affect to her next statement. "I'm going to bed."

**Kakashi Point of View**

Kakashi's eyes flew open with a realization. He couldn't, no, he _shouldn't_ was the correction. He untangled himself from the bed; Kina had yet to make it here, so all was fine. He didn't care, he was done screwing himself over. He was going to see her no matter what the stakes of getting caught were.

This would definitely qualify as something to tick Kina off so much that she would file for a divorce with him. He grinned for his reckless streak that he was known to have. It paid to be just a bit manipulative as well.

He put on his mask and a long-sleeved shirt, both of black. He pulled his hiate-ate over his sharigan and pulled on black gloves. He was going to see Sakura tonight, and nothing was going to stop him. He shut the door to his house as he exited and sprinted to her address.

He opened the door, it being unlocked, and entered the little abode. He sighed, noting the house empty, excluding himself. He sat against the wall at the end of the hallway. He would see her coming through the window, but she wouldn't notice him until she got inside the house.

Her now short pink hair head appeared from out of the darkness. Her own forehead protector being vacant from her head, she gave the impression of being secure about herself and looking too good for her own good. He watched the doorknob turn, and apprehension filled his system.

The door swung open, and he stood swiftly, advancing on her. Something about his approach caused her to become stunned with fear, and he just remembered the freak happenings that were because of Itachi. He rounded behind her, carefully covering her mouth with his gloved hand. He shut the door behind her with his foot. The slamming caught her out of her reverie. He was afraid she would bite him like she had earlier that evening.

"Sakura," the moment her name came from his masked lips, her stiffened form relaxed. The feel of her body against his was a little too much for him and he let her go, much like he had done the one night she had reprimanded him for not going to the hospital.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, stunned, but she went for the lights. He caught her wrist from reaching its destination however.

"I had to see you." His answer was simple; it defined why he was here. He had to be with her. Not that Kina was something he minded, it was just, Sakura had plenty of things Kina didn't. Sakura had things that only she could have and Kakashi knew that.

"Why, I mean…" she stopped mid-sentence, unable to finish what she was going to say. He turned her into him, looking into her eyes with his obsidian one. Still beautiful, still Sakura; he felt impatience rise within himself, but he held it at bay. Patience was needed for this, no matter what; patience was the answer.

"No light, Sakura." Sakura looked at him, confused by the sentence and he pulled her into him. She molded into his body and he felt the sensation rush through him. He had to keep his intentions clear to himself, or he'd lose his control with her.

"Kakashi, what's wrong…why don't you want me to turn on the light?" Her voice was hesitant, unsure of herself to let her speak. He squeezed her gently then let her go. She threw her gaze onto the floor, innocent. Her innocence was on the line; he **had** to stay in control.

"Nothing's wrong Sakura, I just need to be with you." Her eyes darted from the floor to his face, her confusion evident on her face. She wouldn't know what was going on with him; she would only know that she was happy that he was here with her. She took her hand and grasped his, pulling him into the living room. She sat down and motioned for him to do the same, which he did. In fact, once he sat down, he pulled her closer to him. Restraint, he chanted inside his head, restrain yourself. Don't make any bad moves or you'll make it worse.

"Why are you doing this, Kakashi?" Sakura asked not necessarily matching her words with her tone and actions. Kakashi thought on it, pulling her into his lap, and leaning her back into his chest where he would be able to whisper into her delicate ears.

"Because it's real, what I feel. It's not some stupid fantasy, but I admit that I pulled up some obstacles." His lips brushed her ear and she almost caught him with her head as she tried scratching the tickling sensation away.

"Please don't be just saying that," she whispered, evident that she felt excited by this. His hands touched her waist softly, and she moved further into him. He let the feeling consume his slightly, holding onto his self-control firmly.

"I'm not, Sakura," he breathed. She stood up, breaking his hold on her. Instead of her leaving though, she spun on the spot, facing him, and straddled his waist. He emitted something sort of 'mm' and he noticed that it drew out a smile on his 'comrade's' face. He sight and undid the tie on his forehead protector. His left eyelid automatically closed over the sharigan. He held the hiate-ate in his hands.

"Let me see," she said softly, her face dangerously close and a hand attempting to pull down the cloth that was his mask. He pushed her back a ways away from his face and took her greedy hand away from his mask.

"No," he said, holding the Konoha headband in his right hand while slipping his left behind her head, pulling her into his masked lips. They brushed together and stuck, as if glued, to each other. It was scratchy due to the cloth, but all the while pleasurable. He broke the kiss, only to re-enter it at Sakura's hands this time.

She grew bold with each exchange, taking her hands and running them through his silver hair, touching his chest slightly, doing all sorts of things that were making it immensely difficult for him to keep himself together. But so is the fun of playing with younger women, he laughed.

Sakura looked at him and laughed too, why, he didn't know, but neither questioned the other as to what they thought was funny. He looked into her eyes; he wanted to be rid of the mask, but with her eyes watching his every move, it would be impossible. He didn't want her to see him without it just yet. Kina hadn't seen him without it until just recently.

But you've known her Kakashi; you've known Sakura her whole life. She's known you since she was twelve and she'll see you how she sees you no matter what she sees. He shook himself mentally. There wasn't anything wrong with his face at all; he just didn't want her to lust after him because of it. Then an idea came to him.

"Sakura lean your head back," he muttered softly and she complied with the small order. He lifted the hiate-ate and rested it over her eyes, his skilled hands tying it behind her head. She was about to complain when he took her hand and used it to pull down his mask.

It slipped down his average-sized nose. Sakura didn't need much persuasion to pull the black mask down completely. Her fingertips traced every inch of his face. Caressing his cheeks with her fingers, feeling the almost smooth skin beneath them for the first time while brushing over his lips with an almost need about her. He fulfilled what she was wanting by forgoing her hands that were still on his face, and touching her lips with his. She gasped audibly, but he did not seize the moment to deepen the kiss. He at least knew she liked the feeling.

He grinned and bit her lower lip softly when he kissed her again. Her hands rested on his shoulders and felt his body come into contact with all of her once again. They sort of melted together as he tenderly kissed her lips. She finally moved away from him, but something told him that had she not needed air, they would've stay embraced like that.

"My first," he cut her off by kissing her again, words not needed at the moment, but he couldn't help himself, a thought occurring to him.

"I'll be your first everything, Sakura." A blush formed rapidly, filling her cheeks with crimson.

"Who…says?" She asked, nervously trying to play it off.

"You could, if you want it." He was being serious, and he knew that his little way to get out of showing her his face was proving to be a problem. He wanted to see her whole face, no matter how many times he had seen it. So this is what she must feel like when she can't see mine. His hands unwound themselves from her waist and proceeded to untie the forehead protector from her head. It fell in-between them, neither one trying to catch it, even though they both had the ability.

Her eyes widened when she saw his face. She was taking it all in and she longed for more it seemed like. She seemed to catch onto how serious he was when he answered her. Naïveté was her all around, but he liked her like that. He was glad she wasn't like the many that threw themselves at the feet of men for one-night stands. He was grateful she hadn't seen the side of the world after sex. The sad thing is though; sex was the medicine and the poison after you've had it, one of those perfect drugs if you will.

"I c-could…r-really?" She stammered, her eyes were wide, lightly tinted with fear. He nodded, poker-faced at her. She grinned lopsidedly, but stopped, the fear overcoming her demeanor.

"Only if you want it, only when you're ready," he said it softly to her, willing her to understand how much he could give her. He would kill off the marriage with Kina; he only wished he knew why he didn't see how sincere Sakura had been before Kina.

"What about…what about…?" She stuttered again and Kakashi kissed her again.

"Gone, I'll end it with her if you want me to. Yet after tonight, I think she'll be doing the 'I want you out of my life' speech." Sakura giggled, much like she had done when she was a child. He smiled at her and kissed her again. Sakura kissed him back.

"Thank you, Kakashi," she had tears in her eyes and his face dropped into concern. "No, no," she said laughing, despite the tears coming out of her eyes. "It's okay, I'm happy…you kept your word."

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A/N: Whoa, I think this is one of the longest chapters I've EVER posted...well, I want some reviews. I have given you extreme fluff and some backing for what the third part's gonna be about. Rating will be going up for all of you Mature fans.

Review, review, review (because it doesn't take long to type a quick 'update soon') and I take flames too!

**.:.:.Apherion.:.:.**


	10. Part 2 Chapter 5

**A/N: Hello! Hi! waves at reviewers and readers Very pleased with the outcome of reviews (not tumultuous-can't spell-but I'm flexible). I'm very sorry that this is the last chapter of part 2...but hey, we're getting closer to the lemon, so don't fret! Keep reviewing if you wish to see the lemon (because I can TOTALLY re-write...cuz I am evil like that, being the creator of **

**_Evil Association_**

The one stop shop for all of your funny yet completely wrong stuff. Such as Taboo relationships (KakaSaku), Edward Elric being made fun of because he is short (haven't seen something to that equivalence, you need to so badly), Kakashi shaking his toosh on the catwalk (Naruto AMVs on youtube .com), the ever famous lemony scented stuff (that are wayy more that just 'scented'), and drawing for affiliations and afflictions that everyone can relate to in every day life.

**Lol, it's not a website, just a special group of people, mainly consisting of my betas and a select few of reviewers. But enough of that! DISCLAIMER! IF YOU WOULD BE SO KIND! (re-watch Pirates of the Caribbean and you would know that 'if you would be so kind' is directly quoted)**

**Disclaimer: If you keep insisting she owns this, I will have to hurt you.**

**Me(points to Disclaimer): That's secretly Helen...she's posing, lol, luv ya girl. Now the story:**

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Uncertain Feelings

**Part 2**

**By: Apherion (Deanna Garrett)**

**Chapter 5: Misgivings**

December dawned, about twenty-two days after being submitted to the medic building, Naruto and Temari were finally feeling up to snuff. Not that Kakashi-or Sakura for that matter-was complaining. He and Sakura had plenty of run-ins during this time and training became more of an opportunity rather than to train, but they still did train. Sakura was a long way off of defeating Itachi at his sharigan, but he was impressed at how much potential she had. She could probably go ANBU if she wanted, but a lot of that depended upon her lately.

Kina found out about the second time he and Sakura got together. He didn't deny it; he actually confirmed it-much to her displeasure. She yelled at him and he shot back at her. She screamed like she could fix everything, but Kakashi had his mind made up after he left the first time. Sakura was all he needed. He didn't need anyone to tell him otherwise.

He watched her leave, fuming and thinking him ill health. He wasn't the only one who was glad to be rid of her-besides Sakura. Iruka clapped him on the back and said,

"Finally, she was such a," Kakashi just smiled, glad to here someone else besides Sakura called her that. He increasingly realized how much Kina was disliked. Tsunade even told him she was glad they were rid of her. The Hokage's excuse was, of course, it was extremely difficult to have an outsider living within Konoha's walls, but he knew better.

Anko, Kurenai, Genma, and Asuma talked him up for longer than he had expected at the bar, and ended up buying a round for them all to enjoy insulting Kina's memory in the hidden village of leaf.

"Yeah,_ 'Kashi_ just _loved_ the idea of him being called that," Sakura said somewhere amidst the stumbling, the chitchat, and the foolery going on outside the local bar they had just exited.

"Yesh, I'm shure he wuved it," Kurenai managed to get out. Asuma hurried her from the bar that she happened to be looking wistfully at. Anko took Genma by the hand.

"We needs to gets home…" Genma managed to get out before slightly passing out into Anko's arms.

"He's going to be fun tonight," Anko remarked sardonically. "Ah well, thanks Kakashi, those were pretty good." Anko could talk normally, but once the ANBU started moving, you could tell she was drunk.

"I needed it!" Kakashi waved them off, slurred and out of it. He felt his companion touch his shoulder and turned to the fifteen year-old at his side. He was suddenly reminded at how beautiful she was and how he still had things he needed to talk to her about. His arm wrapped around her waist.

"No, the great Kakashi doesn't need my help, does he?" Sakura laughed as she joked with him, letting him lean on her as she took them both to his house.

"Yes, I need my Sakura's help," he said, trying to sound serious, but failing. Sakura laughed and he smiled beneath his mask, yes, I need my Sakura's help. As they neared the door to his place, he let her go to open the door. Sakura watched half-heartedly and made a move to turn.

"No," he said possessively taking her wrist with his left hand while his right turned the doorknob, pushing the door open. "I need to talk with you." He grinned at Sakura's stunned face and the indistinguishable noise she made when he tugged her into him. He felt her body relax by his automatic grasp of her waist, bringing her further inside his house, to the living room on the right. He sat her down, still standing.

"I need to tell you about something that happened when your parents went on that mission." Sakura looked at him confused. He had always been serious, but this really wasn't the seriousness that she was used to. He was usually funny and serious, but tonight he seemed to be the serious that he only was when battling someone stronger than him. She urged him on, scooting over to give him room on the loveseat couch that she was sitting on. He shook his head.

"When your parents went away, they had to have someone watch over you. I knew them pretty well at that time, so I offered my help. It was you I was taking care of in that picture you saw." Sakura stared at him, unsure of what to say. He was actually being serious. If he was acting, he was doing a great job at it because he didn't have the joking gleam in his eyes.

"You…took care of me?" It fits, she thought, I've always been able to control chakra like a jounin and he never really paid attention to me, no matter what I did. I can't believe he still…

"I know I should've said something to you, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I didn't want you to look at me differently, but now it really doesn't matter seeing as we might…" he pulled to a stopped watching her expression change from slightly happy to horror.

"I th-thought…S-rank m-mission…b-but I'm just a ch-chuunin…" Kakashi stopped her from blabbering with sensible words that made her feel like she had overlooked everything completely.

"You should have known better. The prospect of finding Sasuke means, indefinitely, that Itachi will be involved." Sakura watched him begin pacing in front of her, making her feel restless. She put a hand to her face and pressed her cool fingers to her lips, thinking while sating the hunger to move from the seat.

"Kina…didn't Kina know about this?" Kakashi let out his bark laugh, but continued his pacing while he answered.

"She's in Wave by now, and if she were going to tell someone our plans, she wouldn't have an exact date. We were in wait until Naruto and Temari decided that they could move on…well Temari, I'm sure you had your hands full for the longest time telling Naruto that you were still checking out his head." Sakura giggled nervously and nodded.

"Yes…you know he's got the most outrageous amount of chakra I've ever seen. It's almost as if he has another thing inside himself." She breathed in awe.

"Kind of like you and _your_ inner self." Sakura scowled at him, scrunching her nose and squinting at him while sticking out her tongue. He laughed, pulling down his mask and sauntering over to her in his lazy walk.

"How can you still want me even after having to take care of me from four to eleven?" She felt her lips move underneath her fingertips and loved the feeling. He discontinued his walk and looked at her, considering her. He moved again, taking her hand away from her lips, and leaning in to kiss her tenderly.

"It was easy, you were cute then and you're beautiful now," his lips brushed hers as he spoke. It tickled, but she loved the sensation. She playfully pushed him.

"I want a real answer," she said in a hurt voice, pouting at him childishly. He complied with sitting next to her and setting her astride his lap. She blushed innocently.

"I found everything that you did practically adorable, except for when you'd cry, and even though I held you and consoled you, the only way we both could get sleep is if I stayed with you. Now that your older I see that you're still the same…only I wasn't there to comfort you all the times I could've and should've." She smiled and placed her hands on each one of his shoulders. It was nice to hold him. It was nice to know it was really happening.

"Then why did I forget everything?" It was a good question; she didn't know why she didn't remember anything about an eighteen year-old plus man taking care of her from year four to eleven.

"Your brain sometimes makes you forget things you don't want to remember. You killed your parents-how you did is unbelievable to me to this day, but even so. You didn't want to remember that your parents came back and tried to kill you and that you killed them out of self-defense, so your mind put a block up saying that everything between your fourth year and your eleventh year were off limits," Kakashi informed her knowledgably.

"Thanks for that interesting lesson, Sensei," she said with a smirk to her face. His right hand was holding the base of her neck and he pulled her down into him. His soft, practiced lips covered her less experienced ones for a less-than-tender kiss. She felt the bruising, but she didn't care. It tasted as good as it felt; wonderful.

His left hand wandered from lifeless at his side to pushing her hips down closer to his. She gasped, feeling the exciting twinge run through her. The feeling was something she had known, but it was still not something she _knew_. She gave into his strong touch, kissing him back. Their lips molded together, want and need evident throughout. He pushed her away and she complied with it.

"Sakura," he whispered, her head now lying on his right shoulder. She was playing with his hair, having already removed his headband from his head. She looked at him through half-lidded eyes, her green eyes misted over.

"Hm," she responded to him, to intent on her fingers latched inside his hair to pay too much attention. He shivered and removed her hand with some protesting coming from Sakura.

"I can't give back all the hours I took away from you…from us," she watched his lips move with little interest as to what he had to say. She sat up straight and looked into his eyes. So different and aloof, but she could see the discomfort in them. She kissed his lips affectionately touching his cheeks with her hands, pulling him further into her. He followed suit, putting his hands on her face as well, drawing them both together as seamless as possible.

The heartfelt kiss ended, leaving stars in Sakura's eyes when she opened them to look upon the handsome face that was gazing almost as star-struck as she was. His fingers traced her lips so lightly, Sakura could barely feel it. She closed her eyes and gave way to the sensitivity that she was feeling all around her body.

One of his hands had enclosed her waist, fixing her to the spot, just on top of him. She had a familiarity with everything, like she had been given hyper-senses, boosting the effects he had on her. She felt his heavy breath on her neck, proceeding to kiss it; his fingers had left her now parted lips.

Her breathing steadily became rapid and hurried, as if she couldn't breathe properly. Scenes flooded her fogged head from when Itachi had attacked her.

It was Itachi caressing her neck, making her close her eyes, letting her feel the headiness of arousal. It was Itachi touching her in numerous places that she wished he wouldn't. It was Itachi stripping her of her clothes, ravishing her lips like they were his to behold. It was Itachi that adjusted her body as he readied himself.

Sakura screamed aloud with fright, her eyes shooting open with wild fury. Kakashi pulled her into him, rubbing her back as she cried helplessly onto his shoulder. Fear pierced her heart, and even though she knew her clothes were still intact and that she and Kakashi hadn't moved from the couch, she felt victimized and ashamed to have succumbed to the Sharigan and let Itachi in.

"_**One day, I'm actually going to do this to you.**"_

"Sakura," Kakashi's worried voice penetrated the screams and the voices inside her head. She let her eyes focus in on him, despite the tears rolling down her face. Her pulse was racing and she felt as though her heart was going to explode form her chest.

"I'm…s-sorry…I-Itachi d-did t-this…he m-made…" she trailed off unsure how to finish; she was _afraid_ Kakashi might not want to look at her again. He didn't say anything; he just wrapped his arms around her and kissed her tears away with his wonderful lips.

"Sakura, it's okay now, he's not here. I was there when he used his sharigan on you. It's all right; you don't have to explain it to me. I can only imagine what he did to you, but you have to believe me when I say everything will be all right." His voice lulled her into drying her tears and falling asleep on his shoulder. He smiled at her and kissed her head gently enough so not to wake her.

He carefully wrapped his arms around her waist and hoisted her up with him, carrying her limp form in his muscled arms. It hadn't been that long ago when he had done this for her. She still didn't weigh that much, but granted she weighed more than she did when she was younger. She had grown up quite well.

He brought into his bedroom, lying her down on the left side of the bed for Kakashi preferred the right side of the bed when accommodating guests. He pulled his shirt off and raked a tired hand through his silver hair. He pulled his mask over his head and walked around the bed to lie down beside Sakura. He covered both of them in the comforter, draping a protective arm around the girl alongside him.

I will protect her, he thought, feeling her arms enclose his waist and her head lie down on his bare chest. I don't know what I'll do if I lose her now.

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A/N(points at the last paragraph): OH! OH! Look at the fluff! OO! (smiles) That's a heck of a lot better than last time huh? Still a bit of a cliff, but I'm sure you'll live.

Review, people please, Review. Flames, you may flame me if it's your wish (for it's in your power to). Thanks and much love:

(Apherion)


	11. Part 3 Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Shut the up. You and I both know I don' t own these characters (cause if I did I wouldn't be writing fanfictions).**

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**Uncertain Feelings**

**Part 3**

**Love me without fear; trust me without questioning; need me without demanding; want me without restrictions; accept me without change; desire me without inhibitions, for a love so free…will never fly away.**

**By: Apherion**

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**Chapter 1: Shadows**

He awoke long before the sun had decided to show its perky face. He tried sitting up, but stopped and settled back down realizing Sakura had a firm hold on his body. He blinked in surprise at the warm blush heating her face. What is she dreaming about? He thought with a smirk as he heard a slight moan in fantasized ecstasy.

Kakashi smiled at her, feeling her right leg hike up his own to rest lightly on his thigh. He shuddered to the sensation her hot, tingling breath made on his skin. He bit his lower lip to stop the groan emitting from him. He did not want her waking up tangled up in him. He didn't want her to feel thoroughly embarrassed before heading out to search for Sasuke.

"…Kakashi…" he heard her voice animate his name with a breathy sigh. Oh god, he thought, trying his best not to look at her while fastening the reigns of his self-control down as best he could. He nearly lost himself when she practically rolled on top of him with her arms encircled around his waist.

His breathing hitched terribly. As awkward as it may be for her if I wake her up, I don't want to have to explain why she feels _fatigued_ if I don't wake her. With that logic, he brushed back her hair and put a hand on her shoulder, shaking her lightly.

He didn't even have to say her name, her eyes opened blearily as she looked about the room. She didn't seem to be aware of where she was or who she was on top of, straddling his waist no less. She unwound her arms from his waist and rubbed her sleep-filled eyes with her hands.

**Sakura Point of View**

She yawned and stretched lightly. It was then she noticed her pillow had been something a bit more…full of life. She leapt and toppled off the bed. She heard Kakashi laughing at her expense. What a fine way to start your day, Sakura.

"Good morning to you too," she said grumpily standing up. He just chuckled amusedly throwing the covers off himself. He sat up in the bed and pulled her by the waist into him.

"I don't think you want to be unconscious when you and I _play_," he whispered in her ear. She remembered her dream vividly and blushed automatically. She could feel the warmth spread all the way to her toes.

"W-who s-said we were…_playing_?" She stammered chastely, feeling his hand take hold of her hips. She already felt jumpy as it was. He brushed his lips over her ear as he spoke in the husky whisper of his.

"If you want to; we have a good few hours before Tsunade asked us to meet up with her to begin the mission." Her legs wobbled dangerously, threatening to collapse on her. He pulled her into his lap feeling him against the material she had worn yesterday. She gasped and fought out of his hold, not that she minded him holding her. That wasn't the case. It was just…soon and…

Kakashi just stood up and wandered over to her, encircling her waist, laying his chin on his shoulder. The fear evaporated. Why, she requested an answer. Why do I always flip out when we get that close? I'm not afraid of him, am I?

"No," she heard him speak in an undertone. "You're not afraid, Sakura." She felt his lips connect with her skin, flooding her body with a soft mellowness. She leaned into his touch, egging on the contact. It stopped and she felt the warm, firm body holding her against him disappear.

She turned around, blinking away the things that had stirred up. She watched his every move. Sauntering over to the dresser, he opened a drawer and pulled out a shirt that seem to be a little too small for his frame. Getting a closer look at it, Sakura realized that the shirt wasn't his. She took nervous steps towards Kakashi.

"Who's shirt," she asked softly, touching his shoulder, longing for the feeling of his arms around her once more.

"Mine from a long time ago; I _knew_ there was a reason I kept it," he laughed handing it to her. It was blue, something that had completely contrasted with his normal attire of black, green, and red. She smiled weakly, taking it from him. He touched the back of her neck and guided her to his mouth, kissing her softly. Sakura moved into the sweet gesture, but he broke it.

"You shower first while I make breakfast," he ordered in a light-hearted fashion. Sakura pouted at him, giving him a hurt look. Though, her expression did a complete one-eighty when Inner Sakura came up with something clever to say.

"Aw, Kakashi, how 'bout we shower together and I'll help you make breakfast." She flushed red, smiling at the stupid comeback. Kakashi just ruffled her short hair, kissing her on her nose.

"It _is_ tempting, but I don't think you're ready for that." Sakura folded her arms across her chest, returning to her little pout. I was _hoping_ you'd have a bit more of a reaction to that, she thought about saying, but held her tongue.

"Don't tempt me, Sakura," the decisiveness in his voice was alarming. "I only have so much restraint inside me, don't push yourself into something you're not ready for." He smiled genuinely at her, kissed her briefly on the lips, and strolled from the room as if nothing happened. God, the _nerve_ of that man!

"I was only joking…it wasn't like I was being serious," she mumbled irritably stripping her day-old and slept-in clothes. She let a hand drift unconsciously to her chest, tracing her curves down her stomach to her fit stomach. She tensed the muscles and felt the curves of them as well. She turned the cold faucet on and gradually added hot water.

Steam rose inside the bathroom as Sakura lathered his shampoo, an earthy scented mixture, into her blossom head. She accidentally poured too much for her short hair to take in. She grinned sheepishly. It's not like he has to deal with a lot of hair himself, no harm, and no foul. Sakura ran her wet head underneath the curtain of warm, tickling water. She began to wash out the suds from Kakashi's shampoo.

She almost dropped the soap as she picked it up, full realization taking its affect on her. She scolded herself. It was his bathroom; she would've been shocked if he hadn't used the most of the stuff inside it before.

Get a grip, Inner Sakura yelled shrilly. Using his soap makes no difference whatsoever. It's not like you haven't touch him before.

It's not like I've used his soap before either, she said, trying to rationalize somewhat. It was true, as many times as she and Kakashi had together, it was normally him at her place, not the other way around.

"It's still his soap," she whispered, getting the soap to a foamy state. She set the soap down and ran her hands over her body, letting the water wash off what she put on as she went along. The minutes passed by with a calm serenity about them. She smirked crookedly when she heard Kakashi bang on the door.

"Don't use up all the hot water," he called over the sound of water hitting porcelain. "Cold showers are reserved for special occasions." She laughed, rinsing the rest of her body off once more before turning off the water. What he said didn't make sense to her just yet, but eventually she would figure it out.

She wrapped a towel around herself and opened the door to let the condensation disappear from the room. It was too stuffy to stay in the bathroom, so she tiptoed out of the bathroom and leaned heavily against the wall, her eyes closing just lightly as she dripped to some extent on the carpet beneath her feet.

* * *

"Don't fall asleep on me now." Kakashi's voice was somewhere close to her. Then it occurred to her that she was all in his arms, still in the towel (amazingly). Yet even that was being considerably overrated as it was beginning to fall off her frame.

"Reh," she started, pushing away for a second, but stopping as soon as she came to her senses (or rather her senses came to her). Kakashi laughed and kissed the top of her still wet head.

"I said not to tempt me," his voice had turned from soft and light to hard and dark. Sakura clutched the towel to her as she backed away from him, frightened just by the sheer sound.

"I was just joking though…" Sakura said, barely above a whisper. The towel was slipping down in the back, but she was facing him in the front.

"It doesn't really matter," she said mostly to herself. Her gaze had traveled to the floor. The sun was still hiding beneath the horizon.

"It _does_ matter, Sakura," Kakashi said exasperatedly, sliding down the wall to sit on the floor. "It makes a difference. Would you rather me just screw you now and it not mean anything?" Sakura didn't say anything; she just bit her lip guiltily. Her grip tightened around the front of her towel. Inner Sakura was definitely tempted to pry the white-knuckled fingers from the front of the towel and let it drop to her feet, but for once Sakura didn't know what to say to it.

She took tentative steps towards him, looking down at him when she got a foot away. Her body was still soaked, not being properly dried off. Kakashi looked up at her, his lips…oh his lips weren't happy. His white hair fell over his gorgeous face (that could've passed for eighteen). Tears threatened to fall…he was disappointed with her…in her.

He patted the carpet beside him, motioning for her to sit. She bit at her lip again and did as he wished, but he stood. She looked at him, wounded, as if she had done something wrong just by sitting by him. His face broke the cold façade, giving her a smile.

"I'm getting you another towel," he stated as if it were a good explanation. Sakura gave him a 'for what?' look and he chuckled to himself walking into the bathroom and coming back with a shocking pink towel. Sakura mouth fell open.

"Where you get that? All of you stuff is black or white!" He laughed and attacked her hair with the towel. "AHH," Sakura screeched, jumping up, and losing the hold on her towel front. It slipped considerably low, but Sakura yanked it up. She huffed, blushing madly seeing that her arms looked sunburned from the warmth spreading through her. She glared at Kakashi.

"And you talk to _me_ about restraint."

"How was I supposed to know that you'd lose hold of my towel? Besides, I'm sure you look better without it, but hey," he received a bop on the head for that comment.

"Hey now," he said smiling. "That's the Sakura…that's _my_ Sakura that I like," he softly spoke to her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. Chills ran a rampage throughout her body. She loved the feeling of Kakashi so close to her, but she knew she wasn't ready for anything that intimate yet.

"Breakfast is ready you know," he whispered to her, his lips and hot breath were tickling her skin thoroughly. He was avoiding kissing her directly, she could tell. And who's to say that I'll stop him if he decides to go through with his _Icha, Icha_ 'practical experience'. I have no self-control, god!

"All right, Kakashi," Sakura whispered, as if defeated, but all the while willing him to just take her into the kitchen with him. She felt his arms pull her into a standing position. He let one of his arms go off her so he could wrap it around the point where her knees bent, picking her up gently as possible, as if he were carrying something fragile and needed to be handled with extra care.

She blushed, looking up at him without his help in supporting her neck. He looked down at her, he still hadn't put his mask on and Sakura wished he wouldn't. The familiar swooning of her stomach hit her when he smiled his handsome, slightly suggestive grin. He sat her down on the stool and she adjusted her towel as best as she could. Her eyes widened with what she saw.

"Kakashi, you made me anko dumplings?" She asked awed at his audacity to make something that really wasn't a breakfast meal.

"Of course, what did you think we were going to have?" Sakura couldn't believe he was acting normal, pouring syrup over the dumplings quite thoroughly. She put her hands on the countertop.

"You made one of my favorite dishes like it weren't a problem at all, what's gotten into you?" She inquired, completely stunned and nonplussed.

"You," he stated, looking her in her eyes with his mismatched ones. He was being utterly serious about it, and Sakura couldn't laugh it off. Taking silence, she picked up a fork and stabbed at one of the dumplings. She brought it to her mouth and bit into the piece of food. She felt the watering sensation that created in her mouth, dissolving the tasty morsel of a bite. She had forgotten what a good cook he was.

"Kakashi, why did you make this? It's not that I'm not grateful-I am; I love this-but why?" She was trying not to sound too offhanded, but it still came across as such. He just smiled at her, walking around the counter towards her. Before she knew it, his arms were around her waist and his chin was resting on her shoulder.

"Because," he said, tickling her ear with his breath, "I know how much you love this and I wanted you to enjoy your last home-cooked meal before this mission. Now, it's just cup ramen." He let out a chuckle, once again tickling her ear.

"I could make you your favorite if you'd like while you're taking a shower, as you cooked for me," Sakura noted hopefully. It was sweet what he did, and she knew for a fact that he had always like miso soup. Kakashi just shook his head though.

"No, Sakura, you don't have to if you don't"-Sakura kissed his cheek and he stopped.

"Of course I want to, why else would I ask?" Kakashi didn't answer her at first, but he sighed.

"I just don't want you to waste your time with this old man," she could hear the sour tone when he used 'old man' to talk about himself. Thirty wasn't old though! What's he complaining about? Inner Sakura laughed, asking the rhetorical question.

"Kakashi," Sakura said, looking at him as seriously as she could. "If I didn't want to be with you, or as you put it, if I didn't want to 'waste' time with you," she refrained from calling him old. "I wouldn't be here." He squeezed her middle in his arms.

"I know Sakura, I know. It's just, you know I have a dangerous reputation and I go on missions like these as if they were going out of style…I-I just don't want you to live for me," Kakashi's voice was slightly strangled, trying to say the personal words that Sakura knew she wouldn't have heard if she didn't already know the truth in them.

"Kakashi, I wouldn't want anyone else to be with." Sakura took his face in her hands and kissed his lips softly, pulling away before leading him into temptation.

"Promise me something Sakura," Kakashi started after a long pause of Sakura thoroughly enjoying her breakfast. She made a noise, indicating that she was listening as she stuffed another syrup-covered dumpling in her mouth.

"If this mission fails and you get away, don't dwell on what happened in what will be the past. Don't just love me and cry over my name." He tone wasn't pleasant; it was a heavy issue that they were discussing. Sakura knew what happened on these missions. It wasn't uncommon for someone to die during one. Yet this was Kakashi they were talking about. Her Kakashi, her protector…

"I-I…" Sakura stammered after swallowing. She felt Kakashi lie his chin back down on her shoulder.

"Promise me that if you live and I don't that you'll live like I never existed." Tears formed in her eyes, listening to Kakashi prematurely talk about his death like it was something casual to throw about.

"But, Kakashi, I," she tried once more to get it out, but Kakashi turned her around to face him.

"Promise me," he said it like he demanded it of her. She nodded, crying into the hug he gave her. She couldn't though; the promise she had just made wouldn't be kept up on her part. She couldn't handle the fact of his death. What would she do? She would have nothing…without him. A hollow spot inside her chest formed. It would belike he was with Kina again.

His hands touched her deeper than they had last night, and she let the sobs wrack her body. His fingers ran through her short tresses, drawing more out of the situation. She wanted to feel him, but she knew he wouldn't let her. Yet she could care less.

He kissed her tears away.

"Sakura, don't cry," he whispered his lips brushing over her skin, sending tendrils of sensations flowing through her body. It wasn't her fault that she started to smile through her tears. Her sparkling eyes focused on him, inviting him to kiss her without words.

He pressed his lips to her softly at first, and then it felt fevered and rushed. She kissed him back, allowing him to open her mouth with his tongue. It felt hot in the kitchen suddenly, but his body was pressed into hers so much, the towel wouldn't be coming off. I guess he wants it to stay like that, she thought, feeling the warm flush fill her cheeks with the passion she was feeling.

Hands still in her hair, she felt his lips pass from hers to tracing her jaw-line and lightly sucking on her neck. Sakura gasped in surprise with the awareness of the experience she never had. He stopped abruptly, bringing forth a moan of disapproval to the break.

"No," he looked into her eyes with his; hard and focused, "not yet, Sakura. She could feel her lip tremble, but she prevented it from twitching too much.

"Why not, Kakashi, we've been waiting for"-he stopped her from saying anymore by touching her lips with his fingertips.

"I know, Sakura…I just don't want to feel like I did it to you. I want you to _truly_ need me. Not just out of lust." Sakura nodded and he removed the tips of his fingers from her mouth. She licked her lips, biting her bottom lip softly.

"Who knew that you were such a romantic?" Sakura said dryly, getting Kakashi to laugh out loud.

"I wouldn't tell you, even if you really wanted to know." She smiled sardonically at him, and laughed as well.

"Persuasion has always been my _favorite_ part of being a kunoichi," she grinned wildly, touching his neck lightly with her lips. He stiffened underneath the contact she had made with him.

"Sakura, don't," and with that, he walked away from her, towards his bathroom. Damn it all! Inner Sakura screamed, stamping her foot into the ground.

* * *

A/N:Didn't you people love the poem? Yeah, I found it on romantic-lyrics .com. My friend was all like 'You've gotta be kidding me' when I told her about it.

Congrats, you all have seen the first chapter of the last part! Mwahahaha...I mean...Hi...how you doing? LOL. Well, I hope you are enjoying this fic, sorry, no lemon in this chapter...I understand that we are now in part three, but seeing as it's a first chapter, I couldn't put it in. See, read here:

**Apherion's Guideline Book**

Rule #78: No lemons in the first chapter, limes accepted.

Flips through pages

Rule #90: No lemons in the first chapter of any part, book, etc. You are allowed as much fluff and lime until it gets to graphic.

(points at now closed book) I had no idea what a bother it would be until now, but at any rate. Review, and prompt me to write more!

Read, Review, I take flames too.

.:..:.(Apherion).:..:.


	12. Part 3 Chapter 2

**Uncertain Feelings**

**Part 3**

**Love me without fear; trust me without questioning; need me without demanding; want me without restrictions; accept me without change; desire me without inhibitions, for a love so free…will never fly away.**

**By: Apherion**

**Chapter 2: Differences**

Tsunade had given them different instructions about 348 hours ago (two weeks and half a day). Find Sasuke, look after the lower classed, and come back; kill if necessary. It was the fifteenth day of ramen and Sakura was going insane with everyone there and from the fact that the mission had become so tedious (she had started counting again, obsessive compulsive disorder-O.C.D. kicking in).

Naruto and Hinata were openly affectionate every time they got a chance to stop and rest their chakra before going off again. Naruto would occasionally pause to eat his ramen and Hinata would get some water, but then they'd start kissing again. It was amazing; nothing had ever prevented Naruto from ramen, but him under the influence of a woman…he probably could go days without eating it.

Ino and Shikamaru were no different, only that they tended to become private with their 'sessions'. Obviously they all thought that they were going to die within the mission.

"Get a grip on yourselves, or get lost!" Temari finally screamed at them. She was steadily getting irked at the constant sounds that were being made. Yet that wasn't what was getting Sakura all in a huffy, bitchy mood. Kakashi hadn't even held her hand longer than a second since they were on this thing.

"_Why are you two just showing up right now?" Tsunade asked at their late arrival._

"_Well you see, Tsunade-sama, I went over and picked Kakashi up," Sakura said, telling a white lie._

"_And by the time I found him, we were late…so, I was dragging him up here." She smiled sheepishly and Tsunade sniffed._

"_Sakura, I wish you weren't so influential all the time, but I guess it can't be helped. We have a change in plans…"_

Sakura looked over at Kakashi, remembering why they were late to be shipped off on this mission. He had taken her to the memorial stone.

"_This is why I'm always late, Sakura," he said softly, hugging her waist. As if he needed her to know this about him. She looked up at him, hugging his waist, pulling his body a little closer._

"_You don't have to explain it to me, Kakashi," she knew about the ninjas that were put on this stone. They were heroes and some of the greatest Konohans._

"_When I was on a jounin mission, one of my teammates ran off. She was a medic-nin like you. Her name was Rin." Sakura watched him, looking intently at the stone. "My other teammate, Obito Uchiha, asked if we could go after her, but I told him we had to finish the mission, with or without her." She moved her gaze from the man holding her, to the stone, watching his words coming to life._

"_He called me an ass and a jerk. 'At least your father tried to save his friends!' He shouted that at me before he went for Rin. I continued with the mission until what he had said sank in. I went after the two and saw Obito get crushed by a stone. I fought off the shinobi that attacked Rin and Obito._

_All of them were dead and I went to his side. I had injured my left eye badly." Sakura now knew why he had the scar. "Obito was dying and he knew it. He gave me two things when he left Konoha that day. Teamwork ethic-the ability to disregard everything to help your friends and teammates, the only reason you, Sasuke, and Naruto passed was because of that. Obito also gave me the sharigan. Rin made the transplant, but she too was between life and death and I rushed her to the medic building." His face became a bit shallow and voice sounded distant._

"_They tried to save her, but she was too far gone for them by the time I finally got her to them. I nearly took off one medic's head when he told me that she died. She had already lost a lot of blood and her chakra levels were extremely low, but I thought there was a hope in saving her." Sakura put her right hand on his masked cheek. He bent down, swiftly taking off the mask, kissing her deeply, his tongue snaking inside her mouth._

_She moaned into it as she felt him ravish her in the most pleasurable way. She was kissing him back as well, entangling her fingers in his silver-white hair. His left hand was supporting her neck, pushing her further into him. She gave as much access as he told her he wanted, though he was not demanding it of her._

They had made the most of every second like that. Sakura had never been so unabashed to let him do that in public. She longed for the feel once again. She wanted him so badly. She gazed at Kakashi's uneaten noodles and then at the one who was also staring into the fire. Thinking about me, she amused herself. Then she returned to her secondly current situation; the feisty ramen cup.

"Oh, you stupid; stupid thing open up!" She yelled furiously as she tried to open her ramen cup. It hated her, so she was venting her anger out on it.

"Let me help," Kakashi sighed exasperatedly while she fought with the ramen cup. She felt a gloved hand wrap itself around it, taking it from her.

"Bitch," she whispered in an undertone, glaring at the ramen cup that was now in Kakashi's hands.

"Kakashi," she said (more like asked), scooting a little closer to him, seeing that the coast was clear (as Ino, Hinata, and Temari had slipped off for a bath and Naruto and Shikamaru were gone; not real sure as to where they had gotten off to at the moment). He looked at her hard for a second before softening his look.

"I thought you went off with the girls," he said conversationally as his gaze drifted back to the cup of ramen as he began to open it. Sakura shook her head, bemusedly watching him struggle with the cup himself. She giggled as he tried to pry it open. Cleary, it hated him too. She blinked at him. If only he knew I had been blatantly waiting for an opportunity to get him alone…

"I took a bath last night and we didn't really work too hard today." She watched him pull out a kunai, leveling it before stabbing at the cup. The surface ripped, but just barely making a sizable gap for a finger to make it wider. The fire crackled merrily in time to the sound of Kakashi trying to complete his task (which he was failing miserably…but he was looking cute doing it).

"Where are Shikamaru and Naruto?" She asked smiling as he made a debacle of the whole ramen cup.

"I sent them out looking for firewood. Damn it all," he whispered under his breath, the thing still not opening. Sakura was surprised he let it slip, but the next one had her laughing.

"Fuck it," he said apathetically, stabbing it once more for good measure. It opened this time. Sakura laughed hard at this and Kakashi looked at her to fill him in on the joke.

"Brute force isn't always the answer," she giggled girlishly and she felt his hand touch her waist, his breath in her ear.

"Of course, it takes a large amount of persuasion," he muttered and she giggled again. He let go of her waist and he grabbed the kettle sitting beside the fire, the contents still hot. He poured enough to soften the noodles and then some. She blew on it to make it easier to eat.

They sat in silence as the secret couple ate. Slurping their noodles with less gusto than Naruto, Hinata, Shikamaru, Ino, and Temari did. She sighed, he wasn't going to do anything, and she knew it too. She felt a hand tickle her arm sending shivers through it. It was now or never.

She leaned into him and he placed a chaste kiss upon her lips (his mask was off because he was eating). She grabbed the back of his neck with her left hand before he could break the kiss completely. She untied the hiate-ate and took it off his face, setting it on the ground beside them. The moment became fevered in a matter of seconds, but he was pulling away.

"Don't," she began, leaning her forehead against his. "No one's going to see." She kissed him softly and pushed him to the ground where she straddled him and he set down his cup. His hands were sketching circles on her back, working their way up to her neck; drawing her closer to him, their lips only inches apart.

"You don't know that, Sakura," he replied, but stopped when she moved against him. She didn't know why it affected him, but all the same; he immediately kissed her with the force that she had been wanting. Her breathing became shallow faster than she had expected and her control had run its course. The balance of power shifting from her to Kakashi in a matter of seconds, but she moaned in approval nonetheless.

She had her legs wrapped around his waist, and he was supporting her neck to help her give him the access that she knew she could give him with the correct amount of leverage. Sakura had reached his hair in an instant when she felt his tongue pass through her lips. She felt the butterflies in her stomach reach a peak and she moaned into him, kissing him harder.

She then felt his hands begin to grope at her clothed body. She gasped when his hands took hold of her breasts and he deepened the kiss, their tongues brushing each other in a sensual dance while he kneaded the well-proportioned breasts in his hands. Her head was spinning with desire and need, arousal pooling inside her, wanting to break through.

His hot breath was now at the base of her neck, suckling it softly, licking it every once in a while, biting it occasionally. Her eyes fluttered open, widening with every rock against him that she was unconsciously doing. She could feel him through his clothing and her own, vaguely aware of how fast his hands had shifted perfectly from her chest to her hips in a second or so. Her mouth opened feeling every bit of it get to her.

"Do you…want…this…Sakura," he panted hard, trying to breathe. She had done this to him, and she smiled a flush forming on her cheeks from the consistency of him touching her in all the right places. I would be too cruel to both of us if I stopped him now. I want this; I want him.

"Do you…not want me?" She asked, pouting, pulling his head down to hers, and forcing him to kiss her the way she wanted. Yet even though her hand fell from its position, he seemed to be staying there of his on accord. The 'correct' answer, if you will, to her question.

He picked her up, hand wavering from her curves to her bottom. He squeezed it, causing Sakura to open her mouth even more, allowing him just more than enough to devour. She could feel her need for him becoming more apparent and she broke away from him saying without words to get a move on. He chuckled darkly, knowing he had the upper hand. Breathing became a chore, and she wished she didn't have to in order to survive.

She was glad that his tent was away from the others, as well as hers. She wanted to be beside him, and was, the whole two weeks and about twelve hours (and thirty-seven seconds), but he must've been afraid that they would be caught. That was her guess, but she wouldn't bank on it. He didn't really seem to care about getting caught at moment (being caught in the moment herself, she didn't even want to think about the possibilities).

He had slipped the side-slit shirt (that could be mistaken as a skirt if you weren't looking properly) over her head, his gaze fixing on the black bra. Noticing where his eyes were, she began to take it off, but was stopped by his hand grasping her wrists, lifting them above her head. She felt her breathing quicken sharply, and he kissed her down onto his pillow. It smelled like him, but she was glad she had the real thing pinning her hands above her. His other hand unclasped the bra quite easily.

"Kakashi," she whimpered softly, dying from the need to feel him against her, hard and pleasant. He shook his head and kissed her, forcing her mouth open with his tongue. He let go of her wrists and the hands attached to them went directly to his hair, her breathing labored and worn out, as if she had been running. Her spandex shorts came off, if possible, faster than her shirt did. She sighed; glad that that burden was gone. She began pulling off his shirt. He's bound to be really hot right now; Sakura couldn't help thinking, even though it was best not to think (so as to not ruin the moment with frivolous things).

When she went for his pants though, her hands were denied, wrists getting caught in one of his hands again, forcing them above her head once more. She felt him adjust her to where he was doing the straddling. Then a greedy hand pulled off her lower undergarment. She gasped audibly and he looked at her intently.

"Are…you…sure?" He asked, trying his best to control himself at the moment. You've got to be kidding me! Yes I want this! Of course I'm sure!

"Kakashi…" she breathed, "be my first…and last…" he kissed her, pushed her legs apart with his knees, and she felt one of his fingers slip inside her slick opening. His tongue darted inside her mouth in time with his finger pushing in and out of her, while he added one more to help open her up. The combination of the two made her tighten around him, feeling a new sensation passing through her body. Too soon did he remove the fingers from her, kissing her lips once more before letting her go and licking the fingers clean. She couldn't get up though; Kakashi was leaning too heavily against her. She heard his remaining clothes fall off him, her job done without her even lifting a finger to help.

"Sakura," he was talking fast now that they were so close. She looked up at him with her green eyes burning alive from the desire eating her. "This will hurt," he said it before kissing her with rough, uninvited force and she felt him enter her. It tore her inside, and she squeezed her eyes further closed, trying to block out the pain. Being still a virgin until that moment and having done nothing to hopefully add a bit of width to her, it was difficult for her not to scream out. She had been ready for him, she wanted him so badly, and he was going as slow as he could to help her get used to his size.

Tears leaked from the tightly shuteyes, but Kakashi didn't move once he had pushed into her. She was grateful for it. She tightened against him, abs taut, and hands clutched on each shoulder. He broke the bruising kiss and licked her face clean of the tears. She opened her eyes, still hurting. She examined his every limb. Perfectly cut, strong arms (which she was latched onto), proportioned chest and stomach, and his beautiful face.

"Kakashi," she whispered tearfully looking at him; knowing he wanted her as much as she did, knowing it wasn't just a one-night fling. He filled her completely, body and soul, and the pain was ebbing away. It was beginning to feel good. He kissed her lips softly.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, finally relieving her of her bra, helping her let go of his shoulders. He knows how bad it must feel. He's waiting for it to stop hurting me. Sakura felt tears in her eyes and she kissed him, pushing him further into her, wincing just slightly, but letting him know she was ready.

"Thank you," she mumbled, out of breath already. He smiled at her and kissed her again, pulling out of her just a bit before pushing into her slowly, and so it went on, until Sakura began insisting more, moving against him, wanting him. She could feel the lustful blush forming on her cheeks as the tent began to get stuffy and hot. She knew little sounds of pleasure were being brought out from her, and she knew his smile had widened.

She rocked against him, wrapping her legs around his waist, trying to feel him in her even more. Masochistically wanting to feel the pain again, her breathing practically shot. She pushed into him harder than she did before, feeling it shock her body. She sighed, longing for the feeling again.

Without words she was getting exactly what she was wanting. He was rising to the occasion quite gracefully, but of course he was well practiced at this and Sakura wouldn't have it any other way. She felt him move faster against her, friction building between them, slamming (for lack of a softer term to describe) into her harder. It was causing her to grip his hair and curl her toes out of pleasure.

She could feel everything steadily becoming too hot, too sticky, too hard, too fast, and too good. She was getting sensitive to her surroundings begging for something, even though she didn't know what.

"Ka-kaka-shi," she moaned as he pushed her down softly, pushing into her with increasing speed, making it too much for the girl. Before she even realized it, she was on top of him; his hands on her hips, guiding her on him, helping her feel him even more. She gasped from what he was giving her, and spread herself as far as she could. She was letting him get the full feel of her as she tried to keep up with his thrusts into her. She began to tighten extremely.

She felt him continue like nothing had happened and she tried to do the same, but she couldn't. His hands however, forced her hips down on his, causing her to cry out in ecstasy, allowing the sensation to overwhelm her form as he pushed as far into her as her contracting would permit.

**Kakashi Point of View**

He kissed her, and amidst the sex and his almost climax, someone interrupted.

He broke the kiss, released her, sat up, and covered the two of them so fast the intruders didn't see a thing except that he and Sakura were in a questionable position to the other former student gazing in awe along with his girlfriend that had just come through the flap of the tent.

Sakura, unaware of the situation, crawled behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, kissing his shoulder affectionately. Then her half-closed eyes opened completely and she saw Naruto and Hinata staring at her and Kakashi in disbelief. She screamed in alarm and buried her head in his back below his neck.

Kakashi knew they had seen enough to know what happened. He could feel her shaking with tears; ashamed of letting her friends catch her like that.

"S-Sakura…?" Naruto asked in utter trepidation. Kakashi felt her grip on him tighten. She stopped crying, but her body was shaking terribly. His stomach twisted. They're going to report this…

"How could you?" Naruto said, raising his voice. Hinata kept quiet.

"She's…you…" Naruto was shaking with fury, but Hinata made a muffled cry into her hands. Naruto looked at her, wide-eyed.

"She was his fucking student!" He pointed at Sakura curled up as best as she could. "And he…he's fourteen years older than she is!"

"Not now, Naruto. Now's not the time," Hinata whispered, her white eyes and navy blue hair made her look fuller of meaning along with her tone. She seems to know a bit more than she's letting on…

Then thing got worse, if that was possible.

Ino shoved Shikamaru outside when he tried to say something when she, Temari, and Shikamaru had entered. Of course, he thought, Sakura would've told Ino and Hinata about her feelings. Temari looked at them though, disgust written on her face.

"I was woken up because of this?" Temari glared at Naruto, who glared back with malice, and she rolled her eyes at him. She being older-and mature-than everyone except himself and Sakura, stormed out, saying something about how trivial the 'happening' was and the blonde was making more out of it than he should have.

Hinata and Ino dragged Naruto from the tent. Hinata re-entered a while after Ino had and spoke softly to both of them while Ino helped Sakura dress.

"Naruto…he doesn't mean anything by his…outbursts. It was just a state of shock for him." Hinata looked pleadingly at him. "He's going to overreact…Sakura's like his sister." The skirt-like shirt had been pulled over her head and she was struggling into her shorts at the moment. Ino soon finished her job and left with Hinata.

He blinked and looked at the girl cowering behind him. He tossed the blanket aside, pulling her into a tight embrace, kissing her tenderly. He let her go, but caught her waist to steady her from the sudden sensation. When he let her go once again, he dawned his clothing as quickly as possible. He gripped her waist and half carried her though the passageway. Naruto lunged for him, but Sakura stopped him as best she could. Her hands were placed on his shoulders.

"N-Naruto…I…I don't expect you to…understand," she got out, her voice was tired and she still wore the post-sex symptoms of fatigue hitting her form. "I…I just want…I…wanted… it…" she breathed each word, and Naruto stopped fighting to get out of her grip. She let him go and he looked from her to him. Kakashi could feel the glare.

"You've brainwashed her!" Naruto accused, pointing his finger at him. Then something else happened that increased the tenseness of the situation. Naruto pushed Sakura out of the way and hit Kakashi.

**Naruto Point of View**

It had truly been a long day. Hinata, Ino, and Temari had gone to take a bath, and Shikamaru and I were told to get more firewood. Sakura and Kakashi were alone when we left, a considerable distance between themselves as well. The last I saw was Sakura trying to force open a ramen cup, muttering curses at it apparently at the look on her face. Silly, I had thought; you can't _force_ ramen to open. I told Shikamaru about this and he laughed.

"That Sakura has always been a character. Sometimes I think she has some mental issues, you know, the one second she's all fine and the next, 'What the fucking hell do you think you're doing?'" Naruto laughed and shot back.

"Nah, I think that's you're woman that you're talking about right there. Ino…woo, firecracker if I ever saw one." Shikamaru had agreed profusely.

"Ino gets too worked up sometimes. I think running that flower shop and having missions to go on is too much on her," Shikamaru said shaking his head, leading the way to a good spot for firewood.

"Don't tell her that! You know hell would be raised," I had come back with, picking up several good-sized 'twigs'. Shikamaru laughed so hard he nearly dropped the small amount that was clinging to his arms.

"Yeah, I _do_ know, but sometimes…" he got this look on his face that said 'whoa, dude'. "I just love getting her pissed at me. It fucking hilarious watching her get red in the face from embarrassment and anger…she just cracks me up." Shikamaru shook with silent laughter as we picked up several more sticks and logs of wood for the fire.

"The truth is out!" I said laughing hard, balancing my pile of sticks in my arms. Never would've pictured you to be someone to piss someone off for the hell of it," I said, the pile in my arms beginning to obscure my vision.

"Believe it," he said, using my worn-out saying. "I think we should head back before 'the ladies' begin to miss us. They might be getting cold." I laughed, silently adding, 'and I don't think we could make it back if we grabbed any more sticks.'

As we stumbled we heard the girls splashing about in the tiny pool of a lake and I inwardly smiled, remembering fondly at how uncomfortable Hinata had been with me the first time. A smirk reached my face; I had definitely worked her up to it. I sighed, and Shikamaru did as well.

When we had finally gotten back to camp, Kakashi and Sakura were nowhere to be found.

We shrugged it off, figuring they'd be back within a few minutes. I mean Hinata and I never stayed gone _too_ long. Hearing Hinata, Ino, and Temari walk in laughing jolted me from my thinking of Sakura with our ex-teacher.

"Hey baby," I said, pulling Hinata into my arms. Shikamaru gave Ino his usual greeting before she had placed herself perfectly fitted inside his lap. Somehow she was able to do this, but I myself wasn't sure how. I mean her butt was one of the biggest I've seen for a girl like her. Skinny as a rail, but an ass the size of a boulder, I mean to say…

"I'm going to bed," Temari huffed, turning back around and heading for her tent, which was close to the sorry excuse for a lake. We gave little notice to her as she walked off into that direction.

She might get thirsty was her reply when we had asked her why she had set up there. Hinata and I shared a tent, so did Shikamaru and Ino, so we weren't too far away from the fire. Sakura always sent up wherever Kakashi did, so we never really bothered to bother them. Questionable, yes, but I knew Sakura wouldn't let the pervert touch her.

I kissed Hinata on the lips, pressing her into my body. She tensed a bit, but relaxed at my stroking touch on the small of her back. She moaned a little into me, making me feel excited. I brushed my tongue across her smooth lips and gained access without trying.

I tasted every bit of her, lavishing each stroke of my tongue on hers. The best part was how she tasted like ramen from tonight's (and last night's and the night before that's, etc.) dinner. If I were to compare and contrast my love to Hinata to anything, it would have to be ramen, because I love her and ramen, but I love her more.

She was beginning to kiss me back when I heard something cry out. I pulled away and looked at Shikamaru who looked back at me with the same look on his face. The cry wasn't out of pain…but if anyone in the vicinity were to know that sound, it would be us guys.

I looked back and Hinata whose eyes had grown large, as had Ino's. I began running in the direction I knew where the cry had come from.

She wouldn't have let him touch her, I kept reassuring myself. She's probably just messing around, just playing him. He would never actually do it to her anyway. My breathing hitched terribly as I closed the gap between the tent and myself. I entered it without making my presence known beforehand. The demon inside me roared with words of betrayal.

I didn't notice that Hinata had followed me, but it felt like I was going to kill Kakashi if I could get my hands on him. I was beyond anger, beyond being pissed off…the feeling I was feeling at the moment could only be described as blind rage. She was kissing his shoulder now, and my eyes grew wider with each second. He had at least covered both of them up before he could see everything, but what he didn't see, he already knew about.

"S-Sakura," I was surprised I could find my voice. "How could you?" I said; my voice rose to Kakashi.

"She's…you," I was having a hard time stringing words together. I heard my woman squeak into her hands and I looked at her wide-eyed.

"She was his fucking student!" I finally got out. "And he…he's fourteen years older than her!"

"Not now, Naruto. Now's not the time," Hinata whispered, not flinching when I had cursed loudly right in front of her. Shikamaru was shoved outside by Ino before he even got a word in. I had felt their auras coming, as well as a high-tempered Temari who was half-asleep.

"I was woken up because of this?" She looked at me, glaring menacing in my direction. I got defensive and glared harder at her; she walked off saying I was making too big of a deal out of Kakashi and Sakura having sex. The thought repulsed me.

Before I knew it, I had been dragged outside the tent with Hinata holding me back.

"Naruto, she loves him, don't do it," Hinata pleaded with me inside my ear, but it was too late for reason to come through. Hinata went back inside, not returning until later with Ino at her side. Kakashi and Sakura came through and I lunged. Sakura stopped me.

Half the things she said didn't even penetrate my clouded mind, the demon inside growing stronger with hate. When Sakura's mouth stopped moving, Naruto shoved her aside, his little control fading at once.

Kakashi looked at me like I was crazy. He didn't even bother putting on his mask, but I was so pissed off, I didn't really care. His sharigan was moving quickly, spinning catching me off-guard.

I doubled-over wincing in pain as I felt a burning start inside my stomach. It was excruciating and tedious to bear. I growled in pain and shot forward, lashing out at Sakura's attacker and mine. The pain worsened as I tried to allow the demon within to take over.

I looked wildly around for leverage and found it. I took Sakura into my arms and held her close to me; I watched his reaction. The pain hurt, but it was drifting away from me, in exchange for her. She was even fighting to get out of my hold, trying to get to him. I threw her at his feet where she stumbled slightly, but held herself upright.

"Don't touch her," I growled furiously. Instead of hearing a reply from him though, I heard another voice.

"Touching, but I don't think you will have to worry about her for long," the voice drifted somewhere from the trees above, and I knew who it was. The scent of Itachi reeked in the area. I just barely caught the next words for shock of the other person I had smelled.

"…Toys to be played with," this was obviously Sasuke, and both men were talking about Sakura. I knew it, I just did. Sasuke appeared in my line of vision and he laughed at me, muttering words only I could hear.

"Loser, trying to protect our 'little sister' from Kakashi, ha, I doubt that you can protect her from Itachi once he gets his hands on her!" My heart skipped a beat, two beats. My breathing stopped. I snapped and lurched forward, lashing out at Sasuke.

"If you can talk, back it up!" I yelled, throwing a tai-jutsu move at him, which he blocked easily.

"Gladly," he taunted me, doing the exact same jutsu, but I couldn't block it in time. I feel to the ground and I came back up. I didn't look into his face, my own body taken its toll for the day, gave into its last energy source, the Kyuubi.

It took over me, making me slash and kick out without provocation, hitting whatever it could. More ninjas had joined the fray, as well as the team sent to find and retrieve Sasuke. I lost my mind, fighting blindly. Only knowing that I was after Sasuke and the others were fighting the missing-nins.

"You can't even hit me!" Sasuke yelled, laughing. "Boy, I wish you could've seen the look on her face when Itachi first attacked her!" I had lost it completely and I grabbed hold of his neck, slowly squeezing his windpipe close to breaking. I heard him splutter for breath as I began to grow stronger in longing to kill, waiting for blood to be spilled on the forest floor.

"Blood," I whispered in lust for it. I threw my victim with as must force as the fox inside allowed, tossing him aside like he was a used ramen cup. I followed with a spurt of speed that matched any well-trained ninja. I slammed Sasuke into the ground using a kunai before he hit a neighboring tree. His blood warmed my clothing and the demon lusted after the scent.

"Kill," I said, not myself as I landed on top of Sasuke, pounding my fists into his face, his chest, blood gushing from his wounds that I had inflicted. I didn't know where the others were, nor did I care. I didn't even realize what I was doing. I cared only for the blood and my eyes grew wide with the passion for it. I licked my hands tasting it for the first time.

I didn't hear his pleading cry to stop as I pulled my fist back as far as I could, no longer knowing that I was fighting Sasuke, my former teammate, ex-rival, and old friend. I thrust my fist into his head, hearing a crunching sound. That sound brought me back to reality.

I looked at what I had done, and I looked at my hands. My hands were covered with blood, his blood. I leapt to my feet, frightened at what I had done, scared that I might do it again. I let out a strangled cry, tears running down my face. I had done it. I killed Sasuke!

**Kakashi Point of View**

"Touching, but I don't think you will have to worry about her for long," the voice obviously had an affect on Sakura. She looked wildly around, more frightened than when everyone found them (and that's saying something as she was really freaked out). Kakashi wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in close to his body. She relaxed, but only a little.

"Yeah, toys are to be played with." That voice he knew quite well. Sasuke appeared and Naruto looked at him in incredulity. Sasuke laughed at him and that sent Naruto reeling. Kakashi could feel his chakra levels going off the charts. The fox may be giving him a run for his money, he thought staring at Naruto.

Sasuke ran at him, dodging Hinata who was pumping chakra into her eyes, readying herself for a fight. Missing-nin appeared as well, overtaking them into battle. Sakura was at a disadvantage and Kakashi knew it. She was trying hard not to look frightened by the ordeal at hand, but she was fretting horribly and was trying to get out of his grasp.

Naruto and Sasuke were getting into it. Each throwing punches and jutsus at the other; missing occasionally and sometimes hitting dead-on, unhinging the opponent for a couple of seconds before they indulged in fighting again. Naruto's control was leaving him and Sasuke was beginning to use the sharigan.

The others were engaged with the missing-nins. Each doing something in equivalence to what Naruto or Sasuke was doing. Kakashi however, was looking for the attacker that had yet to face them. Then Sakura was wrested from his grip harshly, and he only caught a glimpse of Itachi using a jutsu that would be easy to copy.


	13. Part 3 Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Don't own.**

**Uncertain Feelings**

**Part 3**

**Love me without fear; trust me without questioning; need me without demanding; want me without restrictions; accept me without change; desire me without inhibitions, for a love so free…will never fly away.**

**By: Apherion**

* * *

**Chapter 3: Pain**

**Sakura Point of View**

Sakura had watched the battle commence in front of her eyes while Kakashi held her back. She feared her safety, knowing Itachi to be around and when Sasuke showed, her awareness increased ten-fold, as did her exhaustion.

Kakashi had his arms around her waist, clutching her to him. Naruto had caught them together, making love, and now he and Sasuke were fighting each other terribly. Her eyes widened when she saw something pull through Naruto's features as he welcomed the change, lashing out at Sasuke, whose sharigan was spinning. All too soon, she was plucked from Kakashi's grasp and she instinctively knew who was making the seals in front of her.

Her breathing quickened; she was helpless. If he decided to do something to her, she wouldn't be able to resist him. She felt him press her into a tree with his hot mouth covering hers. He darted his tongue inside, taking her in.

She let out a desperate cry when his hands reached underneath her shirt, grabbing hold of her chest, groping it inappropriately. She felt sick as he pressed her body into his, ravishing her mouth. He removed his hands from under her shirt, gripping her shoulders.

She tried to say 'stop' as he took breath, but it was to no avail. He forced her to the ground, looking at her with lust-filled eyes. She felt a kunai being pressed to her smooth, cream-colored skin at her throat. He toyed with her mouth, biting her lower lip none-too-gently. She whimpered as his hand when up her inner thigh, underneath the side-slit skirt.

Her panic-ensued mind as she felt him pull off her spandex-like shorts. She started to cry because there was nothing she could do. She felt the knife being pressed against her neck painfully.

"Don't scream or I will kill you," he whispered menacingly slipping his hand inside her panties, ripping them off. She shook her head, begging for him to stop. God no, please, don't let him do this to me. She silently prayed.

"Anything, I'll do anything but that," she pleaded, tears spilling faster. Itachi seemed to contemplate the offer, but he shook his head.

"Silly, naïve girl, I am afraid this is all I want from you," and she felt two fingers enter her roughly and uncaring. Tears came thick and fast, and Sakura was allowing them to overwhelm her. She couldn't do anything to stop it. She kept her eyes firmly shut when he withdrew from her. She kept telling herself it was a dream and that it wasn't real.

She felt his weight rise off her like a miracle. One eye opened squinted, not sure if he was gone or not. Upon seeing a man that hadn't been there before, her eyes widened when she saw that he had two different colored eyes looking around with fury. Kakashi, Sakura yelled inside her head, a soft smile gracing her lips for a second.

She watched Itachi recover from Kakashi's attack and she back away, further into the roots of the tree, shrinking into the shadows. Attempting to make her presence less known, she kept her mouth shut as well.

Kakashi was livid, performing seals to a jutsu that was new to her. It hit Itachi, causing him to stagger back, clutching his chest, but Itachi fired back with a look into the sharigan that was spinning fast. She watched his hands create seals too quickly to distinguish. A woman appeared almost instantly.

She was a beautiful woman, a woman with white hair and tanned skin. She was a woman who Sakura remembered with hatred, Kina. Itachi took hold of her, a kunai close to her throat, steadily drawing out blood one drop at a time.

Kakashi snapped from the sharigan image back to reality. He spotted Kina with Itachi and he began to move his hands so fast and quick, Sakura had barely seen him wrap thin, translucent threads around Itachi's wrists, prying them off of his ex-wife.

Somehow, Kina had managed to grab the knife from Itachi and she attacked Kakashi. The kunai was shoved into his chest, deep it looked like. She withdrew the kunai from within Kakashi, his blood gleaming scarlet on the sharp, metal knife.

Blood showered the ground and he fell to his knees and crumpled, lying flat on the ground, face up. The shock she felt went on for eternity and longer. Sakura stared skeptically at what happened, not wanting to believe what happened. My dream…my nightmare, she thought distractedly as the clear threads unwound themselves from Itachi's wrists.

Kina smiled in satisfaction of what she had done and took Itachi by the waist. He wrapped his arm around her and both disappeared in a white cloud of smoke. Both had looked at her stricken face, tears and revelation etched into it.

She helped Itachi. She betrayed Kakashi. She killed him. She wanted him dead from the beginning. Don't let it be true! Don't let it be true!

Sakura stumbled to her feet, tripping over them as she ran to Kakashi's side. God no, please don't let him… She collapsed on his chest, her hair congealing with the blood pouring from the wound there. She felt one of his hands wearily pet her head. She gasped in breath and cried harder out of joy.

"Kakashi," she whispered lifting her head up off his chest. She pulled down his mask and kissed him, and even though he kissed her back, he broke it too soon for her. She still had tears coming out of her eyes, her hand holding his blood-covered right hand to her left cheek.

"You have to go back," he breathed. She shook her head, clutching his hand to her face. "You have to warn Tsunade." His voice was barely above a whisper.

"No," she cried out, "I need you more." He shook his head at her, closing his eyes so he didn't have to look at her. She knew what he was thinking.

"Kakashi…" she started nodding her head as she spoke, "I'll get you better. I can," and she was about to put her other hand to his chest, but his left had stopped her.

"You don't have enough chakra to do it. When"-Sakura put a finger to his lips as soon as she felt his hand grow lose on her wrist.

"Shh, don't say anything…you're alive and I'm going to help you."

"You gave your word," he said it plainly, cold and indifferent.

"Not to let you die, I didn't!" Sakura wailed miserably. She felt the thumb on her cheek begin to stroke it softly.

"Sakura, I am going to." Sakura's nose burned and tears wracked her body senseless. Then she watched, almost as though a movie was playing itself over and over again in her head.

The seals for the teleportation jutsu and her hands were unconsciously doing them.

Her head was pounding from the lack of her chakra; she had drained it completely. She tried in hopes of getting him up, but it was no use. Her energy was depleted and she was trying her best to stay awake. She had gotten both of them back home. She felt strong arms embrace her, supporting her as he carried her.

She felt the blood emitting from the wound (not a lot of blood, but a good amount) matting in her clothing and the bouncing of him running. She could hear him whispering to her; incoherent were most of the things that he said. 'I'm sorry' penetrated once or twice and then she heard his deep drone once more. She could barely make out 'I did this' so she didn't dwell on it as much as she would've liked to.

Light flooded over her closed eyelids as voices began talking hushed and frantic. She heard Shizune's voice being called over to do something. Plenty of people removed her from Kakashi's grip, handling her, putting her to sleep so as to stop the fidgeting and fighting them to go back to Kakashi. He was injured, couldn't they see that? The spell they had put on her was too powerful and her weakened form began to droop.

* * *

She woke in a cold sweat, her heart racing. What day it was…it didn't matter. She needed to find Kakashi…Kakashi. Just the name itself sent into a whirl. She realized she was in the hospital and she looked at her only restraint.

She ripped the IV from the vein above here low's one off, all the while untangling her body from the sheets. Her feet connect with the cold tile flooring and she shivered violently from the contact. It wasn't as warm as his touch…his touch.

She padded down the hallways, dressed in the hospital dressing gown. She looked for him; frenzied and frazzled. She was crying before her search had any success, and was on the floor from exhaustion.

"Sakura," a familiar voice whispered. Sakura looked up, wiping at her reddening eyes. Recognition happened at once and Sakura stood, looking at Tsunade's apprentice.

"Shizune, where's Kakashi?" She avoided Sakura's eyes when the question reached her ears.

"I don't know, Sakura," she said it shiftily and she began to walk away from Sakura.

"Don't turn you back on me; where is he?" Sakura choked out from her crying. Shizune stopped and turned on the spot, beginning to cry.

"I'm sorry, Sakura," she cried, looking at Sakura as though she had done something to be truly sorry for (and she had). Sakura's heart stopped beating and her breathing broke.

"Tell me, Shizune, please, tell me," Sakura said calmly, eyes echoing panic. She took Shizune's hand, but Shizune snatched it back, shaking her head.

"No, tell me, I need to know, tell me." Sakura's voice stayed steady, but threatened to crack. Shizune closed her eyes, blinking out the tears. Sakura began to feel cold all over.

"He's…he's being…held captive," she breathed out with Sakura staring blankly at her. No…Sakura shook her head, no!

"You're shorts and everything was gone! I had no choice! Tsunade"-Shizune caught Sakura's form before it hit the ground. She had tried to explain it, but Sakura was deaf on hearing after hearing the words that came from her mouth. Her legs had given way for Shizune to catch her and start to drag her back to her room. Sakura fought, lashing out.

"Let go of me! You…you turned…" she became disorientated by tears pouring from her eyes. I'm never going to see him…I have to get out of here.

"That's not what happened," she wailed, falling hard onto the tile, shaking her head. Her mouth formed the word 'why' as she cried. Her eyes had closed, tightly clutching herself, rocking slightly. A hand lay on her shoulder to stop the rocking and shaking.

"I pried the information from Shizune, I knew what happened." Tsunade's cool voice said over the tears and sobs-but the attempts at breath and speech was stopped. She knocked Tsunade's hand away from her, turning to glare at her sensei.

"You didn't, you didn't!" Sakura cried in hysterics. This was far worse than seeing him with Kina. He was being snatched from her forever if she didn't do anything. She looked at Tsunade like she was the enemy and Shizune like she was the accomplice. It was terrible knowing he was in the arms of another woman. Now it was terrifying that his life and freedom hung in the balance of conviction.

"It's all right Sakura; he won't be able to touch you anymore." Tsunade must've thought that her words were consoling and full of comfort, but Sakura fell to her knees, legs given way to the shaking.

"I want his touch, and you're taking what I want," she mouth the words, tears leaking out of her closed eyes.

"Let me see him, please," she begged helplessly. She saw the look Shizune gave Tsunade; she caved.

"Yes"-she didn't wait for the sentence to finish. Pushing past her teacher and the other student, she ran as fast as her weary legs would allow.

When she came to the headquarters of interrogation (ANBU usually the interrogators), she pushed past the two ANBU guards, both bewildered by her sudden appearance. Sakura quickly found her one innocent person-amongst the wretched-who was guilty of nothing but loving her. He was standing against a wall in a grey shirt with black pants. He looked aloof as ever even without the mask he was unreadable-with his hands in his pockets, but she saw both eyes widen in elated surprise.

"Kakashi," she said breathlessly like 'I've finally found you'. She ran into his arms and felt him grip her tight, kissing the top of her pink head. She hugged him back with as much force as she could, feeling everything about them melt away.

"Sakura," he whispered into her hair. She felt his fingers wrap around her chin and pull it up to look into her face. She let her hands roam across his chest, feeling where the knife had stabbed him so deeply. How had he healed so fast? It had scarred, but then again, the wound was terrible. She then came to the only conclusion that was possible. He had used as much of his chakra to heal the wound with the Chidori, and then he had taken them both to the hospital. She looked into his eyes, silently pleading with him.

His hand stroked her cheek lovingly. It cupped the cheek and drew it closer to him. His lips embraced hers, the swooning immediately starting. Someone interrupted the kiss (the inmates too busy not paying attention to notice), banging a stick on the wall beside him.

"No affection past hugging for you two," the ANBU said irritably. Kakashi broke the embrace and sat down, still leaning against the wall. Sakura followed suit, feeling him pull her into his lap. Kakashi nuzzled his cheek against hers and her stomach disappeared completely from the affection he was giving her and she was giving into. She didn't blame him for what had happened though.

She felt her tears make their presence known by the pickling sensation at the corners of her eyes. His hands gently placed themselves on her hips, moving her off him. She felt the hands move from her waist. His right hand touched her left cheek, wiping away the tears that had fallen onto it.

"Don't cry," he whispered. She looked at him, turning her head the right. His eyes were soft and kind. She felt the tangible amount of love he had for her, love-not friendship or fondness-true love. Her soul tore; her heart broke.

"You can't let them do this! You can't"-his finger pressed itself to her lips, stopping speech with a muffled 'uh' emitting from an almost formed word.

"I loved you Sakura, more than you'd ever know. I loved you when I had seen you come out of the two-week coma you had indulged yourself in. You don't remember it, that year you were different, but I still loved you. You grew back into your old self, and I loved you further. I was surprised at how you grew from Sasuke's rejection, opening your eyes. I saw your two teammates become brothers to you and I became something closer than a teacher; your friend." She scooted closer to him; letting him hold her, enclose her. He continued to talk.

"Sasuke left hell-bent on vengeance, and Naruto accepted that he would never be able to date you. You grew closer to me when Naruto studied under Jiraiya." She put her head on his shoulder and he laid his head on hers. His messy silver hair hitting her forehead softly, but she didn't mind it whatsoever.

"You loved me in return, and for that I was grateful. You could've pushed me away after all I had done to you, but you didn't. There could've been someone else, but there wasn't. You always came back to me...looking for me," he managed to choke out the last few words before she knew he was crying softly. She held him to her, letting him hide his tears on her shoulder.

"There _was_ no one else; I _had_ to have you. I couldn't go on without knowing. I _had_ to know if you loved me"-tears soaked her cheeks. "I needed you in a way you probably didn't know until later." His tears dried, and he whispered, "I know," into her hair while she shook with silent sobs.

"Tsunade has orders, leave now," the same ANBU guard called to them, looking utterly disgusted with the couple. She squeezed him back when he held her tighter. She moved from the warmth of his arms to the coolness from not having them about her.

She walked away from the place; she wasn't going home. Home for her was with Kakashi and everywhere without him was abyss. She would be going somewhere that was as close to Kakashi as she could be: his place.

She shifted the plants around his door, seeing the eccentric prints of keys on each tile. She slid her hand across each print until one seemed to have more of a shape. She closed her fingers around the spare key and plucked it from the wall of keys. One thing that could be learned from Kakashi was never to assume things were as they appeared.

She shoved the key into its hole inside the doorknob. She turned it until she heard the audible click of a lock sliding out of its place. She withdrew the key and slipped it back onto the wall, its hiding place amongst the many drawn keys.

The doorknob turned at the slightest touch from her hand, and she pushed the door open quietly with a small creak of the hinges. The house was as empty as her heart felt.

She wasn't going to be able to see him again. He wasn't coming back. In truth, what he had asked her to do before this whole thing started seemed impossible…but it was corrected later on as improbable.

She shut the door behind herself as she cleared the passageway. She felt light as she drifted into his empty room. She barely recognized herself as she pulled back the sheets that both had been in what seemed too long ago to remember possible. She gave vague notice to her climbing into the bed, clutching the pillow that smelled of him to her face. Her body curled into his sheets, and she began to cry herself to sleep.


	14. Part 3 Chapter 4

**Uncertain Feelings**

**Part 3**

**Love me without fear; trust me without questioning; need me without demanding; want me without restrictions; accept me without change; desire me without inhibitions, for a love so free…will never fly away.**

**By: Apherion**

**Chapter 4: If Anything**

Her stomach felt empty when she awoke some time later, the next day perhaps, mid-day the day after falling asleep even. She unstuck her cheek from the pillow, feeling the skin peel off the fabric. No skin was left on the pillow of course, but that side of her face was a little red.

She sat up hurting physically from all that her body had been through in the however-many-days-ago it seemed that all hell had broken loose. It felt like a long dream. It was a never-ending dream that didn't seem to survive in her nightmarish ignorance to the real world.

She dragged herself from the bed, pushing the sheets back from her tired body. She then forced herself to get up and walk into the bathroom. She let the hot water roll off her shoulders when she stepped inside his shower. She let the tears fall down her cheeks and she finished washing herself off.

She stepped from the shower and wrapped a towel around her wet body. She walked back into his room, seeing his pictures on his dresser. The pictures on his dresser were from a long time ago, and she remembered taking a few with him, Naruto, and Sasuke. It brought tears to her eyes once again.

She rummaged around in his drawers, looking for something that would almost fit her small form compared to him. She donned a black shirt that fell to her mid-thigh and the sleeves stopped at the elbows. She slipped into his smallest pair of shorts, even though they were a little too big for her. They were sufficient enough for her though.

She felt something poke her in the thigh when she began to walk. She dug into the pocket and pulled out what looked like an old note. It had been addressed to Kakashi. The addresser was…Rin. Sakura opened the note with shaking hands, wondering what on earth his now dead teammate had written to him.

As her eyes scanned the paper, they widened with each line, tears threatening to fall from every word. The note was carefully written, and Sakura felt the sadness within the letters.

When she finished the letter to Kakashi, she folded it back up and placed inside its pocket once again. I need a drink; she thought distractedly walking around to get to the front door. She was ready for anything at the moment and sake seemed to be just the thing to help her with her problems.

He always said it took the edge off horrible missions and the aftermath of them too. He hardly ever lied to me, and when he did, he did it for my protection. She sighed heavily, opening the door. She left the key where it was. The sun had started to set on her.

I had already gone through most of the day? I must've taken more time looking at that note than I thought. She walked bemusedly down the road, not really paying much attention to anything, only looking for one thing. Then I saw it, the neon lights flickering on as night was being set lightly upon Konoha.

Ha, Sakura thought, what Konoha? This is just a village of people that seem familiar and the only person that I know is gone… She blinked back tears in frustration with herself. Get drunk, feel the buzz, pass out; she would obtain these three goals if it killed her (and she hoped it would in a narcissistic way).

She pushed open the door and hear the bar man yelling at some of the men that were currently getting along fine with their drinks. She sat at a table, knowing that if he saw her face, she would be bounced from the place so fast; she wouldn't be able to blink. Someone came over and asked her for her order.

"Sake," she whispered brokenly. "No cups, just the bottle will do." The waitress' eyes widened then softened.

"All right, honey," the woman had a motherly voice, consoling her slightly just by speaking. "I'll bring it out." Sakura watched the woman slip behind the bar and push open the double-doors that led to the backroom. Or at least, that's what Sakura guessed it to be. Not too long later did the woman come back sporting two bottles of the sake that Sakura had ordered.

"I _know_ I didn't ask for two," she said, feeling like she was losing her mind for the moment. The waitress chuckled.

"Honey, if you need the bottle and you're by yourself, I'll donate to your rough time, the second one's on me." The woman was friendly indeed. Sakura drank from one of the bottles, tasting the warm bitter-sweetness that was sake.

"I'm Ida; a lot a people come in with your condition you know." Sakura nodded, blindly taking another drink, this time deeper. She choked a little, but she swallowed it down all the same.

"You wanna talk about it, Hon?" Ida asked, putting a hand on her shoulder, rubbing it lightly. She's just like what a mom should be Sakura's thoughts loosed, incoherent to even her.

"He's…gone…a ways," Sakura slurred, draining the sake bottle, starting on the second one.

"He had prom…meshed… that…things…would 'e okay," she stumbled through her words, feeling a buzz coming over her, but she was enjoying the drink just a little too much. She drank more; coughed and swallowed a bit more than was necessary. Ida's hand was rubbing Sakura's back, letting her know that someone was there for her.

"Me…friends…they uh…sheeted…and…placed me; ul-time-ate by-try-al." Her stained language was getting worse as she polished off the second bottle that she was given. When she realized this, she pointed at Ida and pointed at the empty bottles.

"More," she gurgled and Ida nodded, while Sakura was reduced to tears. Obviously she wasn't one of the blessed that were happy when they were drunk. She'd have taken angry too, but she was trying to get rid of the sadness, not indulge herself in it!

When the bottles and Ida came back, Sakura tossed back half of the third sake bottle, she was surprised that Ida didn't get her another one while she was back there. Ida stopped asking questions about what had happened, seeing the tears rolling down Sakura's cheeks, leaving her to wallow in her self misery.

What I need her for, she thought, drinking the rest of the third. I don't need anyone. I don't need someone in my bed to hold me tight… Sakura stopped, noticing the affects of the sake settling inside her. She raised her hand for more. Even she was surprised that she was still going, not to mention everyone else in the room.

"I think you've had enough, go home. Three sake bottles in less than two hours isn't smart," Ida said, losing her mom-like tone. Sakura pounded a fist on the table.

"Sake for sake's sake," she screamed outraged she wasn't being listened to. Ida rolled her eyes and went into the back, withdrawing a bottle just slightly bigger than the other sake bottles.

"If you don't pass out after the first drink I applaud you. Don't make your body drink to the death," Ida warned. Ha, if only she knew. Sakura drank from the bottle and felt the head rush immediately. She hadn't paid any attention to anyone inside the bar and when the door had opened, she could've cared less that someone had entered. She was slumped over the table, running a fingertip around the opening. She grasped the bottle with white knuckles and pressed it to her lips.

Images of her and Kakashi flashed into her mind. His fingers hesitantly stroking her cheek while he pulled her into his embrace. The masked kiss he had given her, stopping her flow of words. Her first real kiss and the first time seeing his face. The swooning feeling in her stomach as she seduced-and allowed herself to be seduced by-Kakashi as they made love together; her first time.

She took several breaths before drinking deeply once again, the bottle getting less heavy as the seconds passed by. Sakura could feel each painstakingly slow arriving second, minute. They were almost too tangible and her vision swayed dangerously. She was unhinged from her seat, but she didn't feel the floor. Someone had caught her and was now carrying her over the threshold of the bar.

She was vaguely aware of her surroundings as she was jogged from the blissfully hurtful pub. The bottle wasn't even in her grip. Damn, she thought as she swayed with the movement of the person transporting her from the comfortable bar to somewhere still yet to be known to her.

**Kakashi Point of View**

He heard "Kakashi," by Tsunade's voice and he looked up at the woman who stared back relentlessly. Her face was grave looking and the blonde sat down on a metal bench in front of him, as if mocking him.

"Temari, Naruto, Hinata, Shikamaru, and Ino have finally come in, all four in the medical building." He gave her a look that said 'and that has to do with me because?' and the hokage swallowed in the brief lapse of time.

"Before Naruto passed out, he said he had some information about what happened during the mission. He said he knew something in your favor." Kakashi nodded, trying to look like this wasn't news to him, because it was. Naruto's vouching for me, he wanted to ask, but knew better than to open his mouth and make Naruto look like a liar.

As he made his way back to his home, later that night, he repeatedly told himself that she had truly said what she had. He was to be released for the time being. His trial would be whenever Naruto was better.

He sighed as he pulled his key from inside his pocket. A sudden urge to look where he hid his spare key overwhelmed him and he pulled back the bushes. He saw the key still in its place in the almost absent light. He sighed, what had he been hoping for? Sakura to have taken the key, he amused himself.

"I don't know where she'd be right now," he whispered to himself as he unlocked the door, opened it, and crossed the threshold of it, setting his key in a dish on a table by the door. He sighed heavily and ruffled his hair. He went into his room, noticing things out of place.

The bed for instance: both comforter and sheets were tangled and not as he had left it. He remembered making it. It looked as though someone-Sakura, he hoped-had slept in it. He massaged his temples before kneading at his eyes.

The dresser caught his gaze. Clothes protruded from each of the closed drawers and severely clinging bits of clothing were slumped over the edges of the solitary opened drawer. He smiled lightly, knowing that she was the only one brave-and bold-enough to ransack his clothing.

"Sakura," he said softly, gently…then his face turned to that of horror. She didn't know that he had been released just yet. She was here earlier…so where was she now? He pulled a mask on over his young, fine face. He flung off his prison attire and pulled on a dark blue shirt and some black pants. He was out the door within seconds of dressing.

He ran at top speed to her house and made the absolute decision that she wasn't there after sprinting around the perimeter. Where else would she be? Then, instead of thinking where he'd be if he were Sakura, he thought about where she'd be if she were Kakashi (confusing as that sounds, it makes sense). He thought about where he'd be if he were in the same situation. He rolled his eyes and groaned.

His deduction had been correct. There she sat; hunched over the table she was at, tracing her finger over the top of the bottle. She gripped the bottle and began to down the contents of it. She stopped with a dreamy look upon her face, glassy-eyed and ignorant to her surroundings. She took several breaths before swigging the drink once more.

She swayed and fell from her chair, but he caught her before she hit there bar's floor. He lifted her effortlessly into his arms. He pulled out a few bills from her pocket and laid them down onto the table before leaving the pub with her in his arms.

She didn't fight him, which was surprising. She must mellow out with drinks…a crier too, he thought noticing the trail of tears. He smiled bitterly, but he ran faster to get to her house. He toggled the door open, noting to himself that he would have to fix it as soon as she was sober again or he'd be in trouble. He set her down against the wall where her head lulled onto her shoulder, its base not willing to support the weight.

He shut the door and pulled down his mask. The smell of alcohol was infinite. It radiated off her form, the pores in her skin opening up to let the rank smell out for the liquor was too much for her little body. He pulled his mask back up to help filter out the nauseating scent.

"How much did you have?" He asked her, bending down to her level, looking at her. He wasn't being forceful; he was relatively calm about the matter at hand. She moaned and blinked.

"I…dun know…tree…an' some other snuff." Her literacy was horrible due to the binged drinking she had done.

"How fast did you?" He asked with the same patiently kind voice. She held up two fingers that represented two hours (of course). Kakashi's eyes widened. Her face was looking pale. He carried her into the bathroom, and that's when the sickness had overcome her. At least no mess was made. She was close enough to the toilet that she had made it before hand. Kakashi rubbed her back so as to soothe her as best as he could.

She coughed several times while she took in breath before letting the waves of convulsions take over her form once again. She spluttered, tears falling out of her eyes. She groaned, probably feeling the sobriety take its hold on her, the excruciating headache. He moved from her to the bathtub to turn on the water. He made it warm, a little more heat than cold, but he figured that's how she liked it.

"Kakashi…" she moaned softly, clutching at her head with pink tresses trapped beneath the hold. He pulled down his mask and sauntered over to her. He kissed her cheek.

"Come on," he whispered. "I'll help you." He was pulling his shirt off her body and she lifted her arms (that seemed to weigh a ton to her) so he could pull it over her head. He kissed her neck, despite the stale scent of sake.

He was beginning to pull off her shorts when her hand stopped him. She dug into one of the pockets and pulled out an older looking note. Then he remembered about the shorts and him putting the note inside them.

"She loved you, Kakashi," was all Sakura said. He removed the note from her hands and set it on the sink, not wanting to get it wet. He then took off her shorts and helped her into the shower.

"Do you need any support?" He asked, ready to get his clothes wet just so she wouldn't hurt herself. She answered with 'no' and he sat on the cold tile floor waiting for her to get out.

"Kakashi," her hushed voice barely made itself known over the gentle roar of the shower. As if his name held the suggestion, he stood slowly, reaching inside the curtain with his hand, waiting for hers to grasp it. She did so almost instantly. She had started to stroke his hand against her cheek, kissing it every once in a while.

"Come closer." Her soft voice once again, alluring him towards the tub, mesmerized by the sheer sound of her. She had laced her fingers with his as she pulled back the curtain. She was in his arms before he could blink. Her lips pressed over his, enveloping a sweet sensation thought his body. He unwillingly broke the kiss, just now noticing that Sakura had turned the water off.

"We can't Sakura." As soon as he said it, he held her fast in his arms, keeping her in the embrace.

"I want to, God, I want to, but we're on thin ice."

"I-I know, but I don't care." She had her head on his shoulder. Her wet body still pressed against his. His kissed her wet head softly and put his remaining hand (the other still occupied with her hand) on her head, playing with the pink strands of hair.

"I do," he said softly, still holding her. She looked up at him, and he obliged in a kiss on the lips. She broke it this time, smiling up at him. Then she got a confused look on her face, echoing in her eyes.

"How'd you get out…I mean out of the…" she trailed and he smiled loving her shyness.

"Temari, Naruto, Hinata, Ino, and Shikamaru showed up finally, and before Naruto passed out, he said he had information on the subject of us." She looked further confused.

"Excuse me; you wouldn't be released on _that_ information." He shook his head.

"Apparently he said something favorable for me. Your friends perhaps persuaded him." Sakura still looked like she didn't believe him, but pushed it aside. Her head probably hurts real nice.

"Sakura, I'm going to get you some medicine for that headache," he unwrapped his arms and hands from her, but she fought the movement.

"Don't even think about moving," she had a dark look on her face, and Kakashi thought she looked funny with the angry gaze coming off her. He did think about moving and acted upon his thought. He smiled at her, loving the incredulous look she was giving him, disbelieving that he was actually walking away.

He knew his way around her house; it wasn't that hard to remember. Her parents' room was down the hall and to the right of Sakura's room. The bathroom was to down the hall and to the left of Sakura's room. Go down that hallway and turn left you're in the living room, if you were to turn right you'd be in the kitchen, and keep going straight to get out of the house. Simple enough and nothing had been added on.

He managed to reach the kitchen where he opened the cupboard her parents' had always stored medicines. Bottles labeled 'Nausea', 'Dizziness', and 'Heartburn' littered the cupboard. Mr. and Mrs. Haruno both had heartburn (excessive intake of spicy foods, even though Sakura hates anything too hot). Mr. Haruno was plagued by waves of nausea after eating certain thing or doing exercises he shouldn't have. It had been Sakura that had severe dizziness as a child; those bottles had been from him trying to help her stop the world moving too fast without her. He smiled reminiscing about how peaceful life was while he was taking care of her (there were war-like days when Sakura got older, but selective memory).

"_I don't wanna!" Cried the four year-old Sakura, peeved at what he'd asked her to do. The cherry blossom hair stirred as she stamped her feet into the ground. Kakashi lightly smacked her cheek, giving her a hard look._

"_Don't disobey, Sakura-chan," he said, serious when he looked at her. Her eyes glittered softly, putting on her best pouting face. Kakashi made a noise, being playful with the young girl. He clutched at his heart and fell over._

"_Ah, you got me!" He cried aloud as Sakura pushed him, laughing. She nearly tripped over him, trying to climb over his body. Her legs were just too short to do the job. Kakashi sat up and started tickling her. She began laughing harder and Kakashi was glad that he was given this chance to take care of a child._

He remembered the reason why he was glad to have taken care of Sakura. If he were given a chance to have a family, he would at least have some experience in the matter. He laughed, realizing the irony of the situation. He took care of a child on the possibility of having a family with someone, and now that someone had become the girl he had taken care of so long ago. Taboo kept repeating inside his mind.

He pushed aside the obscure bottles of what he assumed to be 'Morphine' and grabbed hold of the lone bottle that was labeled 'Aspirin'. He popped the top off and extracted two pills from the bottle, twisting the cap back on. He opened the cupboard two down from the 'medicine cabinet' and drew out a glass. He turned the water on and ran the glass under it, filling it close to the brim. He turned the water off and began to make his way back to the bathroom, which was vacant.

He walked into her room and saw her sitting on her bed, toweling her hair dry. She was wearing summer pajamas (spaghetti strap top and short-short bottoms), pink with blue butterflies and purple flowers. She looked up from her job and smiled weakly at him. He knew how a hangover felt. He offered her the pills and water and she took both gratefully. He sat beside her after she had swallowed the pills and downed the water. She yawned openly.

"Tired," he asked her, putting his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into him. She nodded, yawning again; he kissed the top of her pink head. Forbidden lingered in his thoughts as he sat with her. He knew he shouldn't have done everything he had with her. It was too late to stop what he had begun though.

"Lie down and go to sleep," he said softly. She complied, lying down as he had told her to. He was still sitting on the bed.

"Kakashi, don't leave," she said quietly, touching his hand with hers as she closed her eyes, drifting off into sleep. He sat there watching her, her chest moving up and down from each inhale and exhale of breath. After a while, he got up and wrote a note to her, setting it on her nightstand.

**Sakura Point of View**

She woke up feeling the hangover catch up with her again. She groaned wishing Kakashi had given her more aspirin. Then she remembered. What happened to Kakashi anyway? She asked herself, pushing herself gingerly from the bed. She ached all over and the headache wasn't helping matters.

She caught sight of a slip of paper that wasn't there before she fell asleep. She gave it a questioning look as if to say 'what the hell?' but she didn't speak it aloud. She reached over and pulled the piece of paper from its plinth and her eyes scanned it.

Sakura knew the handwriting well. Kakashi's hand was always worth looking at. No matter how sloppy it was done, it still looked amazing. Her eyes flew over the paper, going up to down, right to left as fast as she could comprehend.

_Sakura_, it said in the kanji, _I'm sorry I'm not here right now. I went to see Tsunade to ask her about their conditions. I hope to have another chance to see you before the trial, if not, I'm glad for the time I had with you. Despite that you were out of it. My love with you: Kakashi._

She blinked and set the paper down, following suit and lying back down as well. Her nose burned as she pulled the blankets from underneath her to cover her. She cried as she clutched her pillow. Everything came back to her from what seemed like an alternate reality.

Her and Kakashi together in the tent, Naruto caught them. Itachi slamming her against the trunk of the tree and then seeing Kina appear to murder Kakashi after Itachi tried to rape her. All in all, she wouldn't call that day to have been a real good one. Excluding the heart-to-heart she and Kakashi had with their time alone in that tent.

She held onto her pillow tighter and cried harder into it. Tears came out without needed persuasion. She swallowed and wailed once more.

Damn the laws, damn them to the deepest corners of hell. She wanted him. She had no family, no guardian; she was a law unto herself having no authority figure over her in her house. She loved Kakashi and she didn't need anyone to tell her otherwise as she cried herself into a sleep that finished the night out and most of the next morning.


	15. Part 3 Chapter 5

**Uncertain Feelings**

**Part 3**

**Love me without fear; trust me without questioning; need me without demanding; want me without restrictions; accept me without change; desire me without inhibitions, for a love so free…will never fly away.**

**By: Apherion**

**Chapter 5: You Don't Seem to Understand**

The trial had been set. Two days from the day Sakura woke up. She had finally learned the date: January twelfth. That meant January fourteenth he was going to be tried and sentenced. Her stomach twisted into a knot. Two days; forty-eight hours; two thousand eight hundred and eighty minutes; one hundred and seventy-two thousand and eight hundred seconds; it was short and the seconds were whizzing by as she tried clutching to them like water or air. Impossible to do unless you had a jar and time can't be bottled up.

The date was absolute, and the chains around her heart tightened as the sun poke through the curtains of her room.

The day was upon her. Cold washed over her as she lifted herself from the bed with difficulty.

She looked into her mirror; physically cringing at the image she saw staring right back at her. She looked like she hadn't slept in days. To tell the truth, between the time lapse of her finding out the date of the trial and the trial day itself, she hadn't slept. The bags under her eyes made that apparent.

She walked into her shower, and with it being five in the morning; she needed something to wake her up. She barely even recognized herself as she washed her entire body. She didn't feel alive, just a body harboring a will that was forcing her onward. She didn't have the tears to express how dead she felt.

The water turned cold, but she stayed inside the water's spray. She held her breath underneath the stream of water. She coughed when she accidentally breathed in the water. She shut off the freezing water, spluttering.

She groped for a towel and dabbed at her face, coughing less frequently now. She dried off her form, ignoring everything that she took in after her showers. She wiped away the condensation off the mirror, staring at her face. She added the makeup, just to cover up how bad she looked. She wouldn't cry.

She breathed deeply, and with her lips parted, put on her mascara. She powered her face, covering up the lines under her eyes and the slight blemishes trying to form. She put on some lipstick before leaving the bathroom to change.

She didn't even notice the folded up note that Rin had written Kakashi still on the sink.

She put on her bra and her panties and pulled a black shirt over her mid-drift. She stepped into her black, drawstring, cotton pants, tightening them around her waist tightly. She studied herself.

"I will not be defeated by this." Her inner-voice had its say next.

"I will be dignified and I will not lose pride." She walked from her house with sandals on her feet for shoes. She came to a stop at the ANBU center. She clenched her fists and her jaw was set as she strode the threshold. She saw Naruto; she had her gaze adverted from her traitor, bastard of a friend.

Ino and Hinata were nowhere to be seen. Tsunade must've thought it was for the better. She didn't see Sasuke, but all for the better. He was in with his brother. Evil was too tempting for him to fight it. It consumed him whole. I could've stopped it too, she thought bitterly. She remembered how she wasted her time chasing after his affection. He had none, so she had gone to another.

Kakashi, she thought blissfully, seeing him for what seemed like the first time in years. She came to a halt beside him and wrapped her arms around him. He returned the gesture. It was apparent both needed the contact, no matter how minimal it was. She let him go, swallowing her tears when she heard Tsunade come in.

"Kakashi, you have been accused of transactions with the minor to your right," Tsunade inclined her head at Sakura. "We've had the evidence medically confirmed and witnessed. Temari gave confirmation, under the order of her Kazekage, she had spoken truth." She paused for a breath at which Sakura interjected.

"No, Tsunade," several gasps formed from within the crowd that was around for Sakura's informality address of the Godaime.

"What do you say is not true, my student?" Her teacher gave her a loathing stare, daring her to address her commonly again.

"I say that I am not a minor." Tsunade stared at her and someone, who happened to be Iruka, spoke the question.

"What's your authorization for that?" Sakura kept her voice even, and despite how hard it was to speak in formalities, she continued doing so.

"I say that I am not a minor for these reasons thus: I have no family; I killed my parents, no one has been my guardian since I was eleven, and I have been holding my own since twelve. I think that gives me"-Tsunade stopped her speech.

"It still does not matter, Sakura. You are fifteen and you have no say in matters." Anger flared immediately upon the sentence.

"Who says I have no say? Damn the whole order! I don't care what the hell you think you have over me, but news flash! I am human and so is Kakashi, we're entitled to pursue what we call 'paradise'." She breathed deeply, glaring at the panel of jurors and the judge. She broke inside without showing anything; her face was as neutral as it could ever have been.

"Shinobi aren't allowed to feel anything, Sakura. You, still being an adolescent cannot pursue 'paradise' as of yet. Kakashi," she said the name like a curse, "you are an adult and I wouldn't have pinned you to be the one to fall backward with the young." Sakura blinked profusely, trying not to cry. The tears stopped coming on and Sakura's stony gaze fell upon her 'superiors' once again.

"Tsunade if anyone should be allowed to follow whomever they wish it should be the shinobi of Leaf!" Sakura called from where she stood.

"The life of the ninja does not call for love, Sakura. You are too young to know."

"Do not tell me that I am too young to know love." She said it in the same dark tone that Sasuke had used before. "Experience ages the mind, bringing people into different levels of maturity. You should judge us by our maturity level and not our ages! Shinobi do not know when they shall breathe their last breath. Look at my parents! They loved and in the end I killed them. I don't know the full story to it, but I do know that I had shed their blood across my hands."

"It's true, Sakura, that you shed their blood. That's probably why Itachi attacked you several months ago."

"I know it wasn't that long ago when he tried to rape me when we went looking for Sasuke!" Tsunade looked at the girl with pity, as if Sakura had lost her mind.

"Itachi is dead, Sakura, so is Sasuke, the last remains of the Uchiha clan. Kina, I'm sure you remember her, is also dead. Many sound-nin and missing-nin are dead as well. Temari, Naruto, Hinata, Ino, and Shikamaru are to be thanked for that." Sakura shook her head.

"No, Itachi stole me away from the battle that battle and almost raped me! Kakashi followed and saved me! Did you not see how badly he was wounded?" She yelled hysterical.

"That does not matter. He manhandled you"-Sakura interrupted rudely.

"Like hell he did! I consented to it, I wanted it." She lowered her voice, not wanting to go into detail about that night.

"Be that as it may, you were not authorized for that decision and Kakashi should've had more control"-Sakura yet again interrupted.

"He had control!" She breathed deeply. Here it would come, she would be asked to make her final statement in his favor.

"State your ground or be content with what we decide." The words struck a cord in her and she began to speak a speech from the heart. In short, she hoped it would have everyone feeling guilty, if anything.

"You say shinobi aren't allowed to have emotion, then what of Naruto? What of my parents, Tsunade? You say I am too young to make decisions for myself, but I have for the last four years. You say Kakashi should not have taken my innocence, and he didn't. I gave it to him. You say I wasn't authorized to make that choice. I didn't see anyone there to stop me.

All my life I have had things taken from me. Things no one would tell me about. My parents' death-murder, Kakashi protecting me from myself from the day my parents left, and I know I didn't even have a chance with Sasuke. Yet, Itachi took that away from me indirectly. He was the one who forced Sasuke unemotional, like the perfect ninja.

I won't let you take away the one thing that I know I should be allowed." She sighed and continued.

"Someone gave Kakashi a note before she died. I am not going to mention her name because if you already didn't know her before," Sakura stared hard at Tsunade, "then you will never know her." She closed her eyes seeing the note that she had read.

"'To you, you may find this hard to read, but I don't want you to feel abandoned, I did this for me and I know that I am being selfish. I know you Kakashi, and I know why you wear the mask. It's just another wall that one must penetrate to get to your heart. I was fortunate to see behind it before now. I want you to promise me that you will live like you never knew me. There will be someone else for you I promise, everything will be all right and you will have a home, just not with me there for you. You just have to trust me.

I will no longer be there for you, and I want you to know that turning your back on the world won't help. Time will heal the pain that's infinite; my death will not scar you forever. As much as I hate to say it, I am not long for this world. It's not your fault. You did all you could. I hold no grudge to you. You, who didn't want to fall into your father's footsteps but finally gave way to, came to rescue us. I'm sorry I was such a burden, but a medic-nin should always accompany jounin on their treks.'" Sakura drew in breath, faltering-the hard part coming. "'And I had to be near you on that journey.

I wish I could tell you these things in person, but I'm afraid it would be harder on you. I must bid you adieu soon though. I feel my legs going numb with emptiness, as I know your feet are going cold as you read this. My arms are getting heavier as my eyes are with sleep. Drawing breath is getting hard too, but then again, nobody's really noticed me pull the IV from my arm. I'm sure they'd have let this go on if I lived.'" Rin…well Sakura didn't know too much about her, but she wondered why the woman had written the last line. What would have stopped Rin from being with Kakashi? They were the same age were they not? All the same, Sakura produced it with conviction.

"I could easily have killed myself to escape coming here today. I could've taken Kakashi with me, but he has shown me what no other has. He's shown me the greatest thing any shinobi could hope to have in their life. He's shown me love when no one else would. When the one I loved was consumed with darkness and the one who loved me gave up hope, he took me by the hand and led me into the best thing anyone could ever have. And when I thought I needed no one, he proved me wrong. Love was wronged when it began to be judged by age and not how much a partner cared for their counterparts. He treated me as he should have, and I did the same." She watched on tenterhooks as Tsunade and the others collaborated in hushed tones.

She felt Kakashi's hand enclose her own for moral support and she smiled half-heartedly at the contact. It should be me comforting him, but he's as cool as water with this. How can he be like that? Always hiding his emotions away…? She remembered her vow to herself. I **won't** cry; I will hold myself up properly like 'young lady' should.

"With the evidence presented and with avouchment from five minors, the sentence will be less harsh." Tsunade spoke the words with an unconvincing thrill. Her eyes looked hard at Sakura then to the one still holding onto her hand. Sakura tightened her grip on Kakashi's hand unconsciously.

"Where you would've been presented with death for your treason and the fact that you and Sakura have been in each other's company for about twelve years, the first three you weren't present for, you are now presented with banishment for seven winters in Leaf." Sakura felt her body grow cold as if presented with winter to clothe her body. The silver lining was he wasn't going to be killed and he would only be gone seven years. Seven years was a long time though. It would be seven years wasted without him.

"S-seven y-years," she choked out. She felt his thumb rub softly against her flesh sending fresh torrents of affection inside her heart.

"It will be all right, just as Rin had said so long ago to me, but I will be back to reclaim what's mine, so don't get comfortable in my bed without me," the huskiness in his voice arched her breathing for a minute, spiking her heart-rate. They ignored the powers looking on with greedy eyes it seemed like.

"I'll be around," Sakura stated matter-of-factly. She looked at him over her shoulder and saw the look in his eyes.

"Will you?" He asked the soft question and pulled her into a hug, resting his head on top hers. "I love you, Sakura," he whispered the words so only she could hear. Sakura closed her eyes and hugged him back, taking in the scent that she would miss profoundly for the next seven years.

"I love you too, Kakashi. Write to me, I know you'll be allowed to send letters." He chuckled and let her go, looking her in the eyes.

"I was planning on it. I couldn't leave you completely." She blushed, catching his implement suggestion in his voice.

"You could never leave me like that." She hugged him again, knowing it to be her last touch to receive from him for the next seven years. He let her go and followed the ANBU leading him to another country outside of Leaf.

"I love you," she whispered watching his silhouette disappear from view. She felt someone put his hand on her shoulder and she looked at the blonde Naruto.

"C'mon Sakura, I'll take you to Hinata's." She gave a weak smile and followed behind her friend that now understood her position and accepted it. She was meant for Kakashi and he now knew why she loved him so much. It was good that Naruto had sat through that trial. I wonder why he was even there if Ino, Hinata, and Shikamaru weren't there, Sakura thought bemusedly.

Hinata and Ino were at the door when Naruto knocked on it. They dragged Sakura in and told Naruto to meet Shikamaru at his house, saying that us girls needed our time together. For weakness too, thought Sakura as she sank into the couch and started crying like a newborn child.

She fell asleep soon afterward and had a dream, which was odd because she hadn't dreamed in a long time. She drifted into it, wanting to know what was happening, but she regretted it as soon as she was indulged in it.

"_We're sorry Sakura, but we have to," her mother whispered as she began to attack the genin-in-training with abnormal pink hair. Sakura ran from the jutsus coming her way. She fired back with what she knew. Her father came up behind her._

"_It's either you or the whole village. It's a choice a shinobi has to make for the best of its village. We have to do this," he caught her in the back with a kunai, but it was pulled out almost immediately._

"_Sakura," a voice that was so familiar to her…she couldn't believe it. "Don't be afraid." She fought back, something in that man's voice sparked something for her. She didn't realize that her parents were dead and that she was being pressed against Kakashi's chest, soothing her._

She woke in a cold sweat, alone in the living room. Ino and Hinata must've already gone to bed. It was then that the heaviness of the seven years she had to go without Kakashi began to linger on her form and she dreaded waking in the morning without him for the next seven years; three hundred and sixty-four weeks; two thousand and five hundred and fifty-six days; three million six hundred and eighty thousand six hundred and forty minutes; two hundred and twenty million eight hundred and thirty-eight thousand four hundred seconds.

* * *

A/N: There you go! The last chapter of UF. I know, it's sad eh?There will be an Epilouge, so don't worry (eyes everyone warily)...I know horrible way to end it, that's why I'm making the Epilouge. It was extremely fun while it lasted. Thank you very much to my faithful reviewers:

SweetAssassin, xXAngelic1ZXx, nlightnd, Kakashi's Sakura, andbakasake

You've all been real great. Check out my other stories, like my new oneshot 'All In One Moment'


	16. Epilouge

A/N: The finale has arrived for all of you long-chapter lovers.

**Uncertain Feelings**

I want to heal. I want to feel what I thought was never real. I just want all the pain to go away. These wounds, they will not heal. Fear is how I fell; making me confuse what was real. For all the times you stood for me and all the times you made me see. You stood by me and I stood tall. I had your love I had it all. Everyone had turned away from me and isn't it sad how I wish to be there. Meet me where the world ends so our world can begin.

**Epilogue**

Her twenty-second birthday was approaching Konoha, March twenty-eighth. The more-than-newlywed Naruto and Hinata were going to be joining her for her second year of an 'official' it's-okay-to-drink-because-you're-old-enough party. She knew the kid at home was well babysat while Mommy and Daddy were away. The two's company was nice and pleasant, but this year...she was expecting someone else to join the celebrations.

True, last year was held at the local bar and practically everyone was invited. Rock Lee even joined in a friendly competition of who sang better between the two of them, but Sakura wasn't all that amused the morning after. Hell, she never was impressed with mornings, but that morning she had been anxious for the winter to come and pass. Fuck the idea of Christmas (the whole gift-giving part) and kill anyone sporting an 'I love you' card or flowers or box of candies. The only holidays, excluding her birthday as being one, she seemed to partake in were New Year's and St. Patrick's Day; binge drinking without having a reason to do so was always a good thing.

She laughed bitterly as she walked outside, which was frigid with morning air, in her pajamas. She shivered waiting for the post-man. It was what she lived for and she knew his letter would be coming today. She had written him six days ago, give the postal services two days to get it to him, give him two days to respond and send it, and give the postal services another two days. She had worked it out after all that time sending, anticipating, reading while blushing profusely at what he had written to her, squealing lightly as she wrote her reply, and sent it off again.

Sometimes the things he had written to her recalled the lands he'd gone through. Sometimes the things he wrote down weren't something she would display or mention in public (unless accompanied by said person where as it would be appropriate to some extent). Sometimes the things he wrote brought tears to her eyes, but he would always have her laughing before the end of the letter. He always said he missed her and couldn't wait until his solitude was spent and he could return to her.

He would joke in his letters, acting as though he was in other countries because he chose to be so as he could get his unsettlement out of system before coming back. He would be romantic in his letters, seducing her in a way that she never knew was possible in a letter. He would make her cry in his letters, telling her that he wished he hadn't been so rash.

She would reply to his letters, letting him know everything was fine (even when it wasn't) and that no one had paid much mind to her (even though they had). She would say in her letters how much she longed for his touch, here and there and _there_. She would get letters back from him saying such provocative things she would tell people not to disturb her and to leave her alone until she was ready to show her face to the public once again.

It felt like they were defying the hokage's wishes with these letters. The letters entertained her brain for hours at a time and when she turned eighteen, she began reading the _Icha, Icha Paradise_ books, all the while wondering how Kakashi could read them in public. Yet she had often been caught just pulling them out and rifling through the pages, thinking about Kakashi all the while.

She walked inside with the letter clutched possessively to her chest, not going to allow anyone to take it from her. She would open it later.

She never told Kakashi how she had stayed locked away inside her house for at least-if not more than-a year, only to come out for the mail and groceries. Naruto, before marrying Hinata when both had turned eighteen, would come knocking begging her to open the door. He would slouch away when she refused to remove herself from her couch or her bed.

"_Sakura," the knock was hard and almost as loud as his voice…almost. "Come on, Sakura, I know you're in there. Tsunade's worried, I'm worried, we're all worried, just let me see you for a little while. We can talk…" Sakura heard his voice trail off and become slightly distant. Only four and a half agonizing months had past what felt like an eternity without Kakashi._

_She padded along the hallway while heavy feet. She didn't have the bounce she used to have. Her eyes were dead, soulless and void of emotion, save for that one tear that seemed to leak from her eyes like a broken faucet. She cautiously turned the doorknob, awaiting the hammer to fall. It didn't._

_As the door swung open painstakingly slow, it revealed a seasoned Naruto. He appeared to have aged after killing Sasuke. Tsunade had only sentenced him to community service._

"_You have nerve," she said in a dry, hoarse whisper. Her vocal cords were shot due to the extensive crying over the past eighteen weeks. The blue-eyed boy in front of her dropped to his knees; she couldn't shut the door unless she wanted to risk having chunks of Naruto's flesh in her door, doorway, and doorframe, let alone the blood splattering the walls and door to boot. She decided she didn't need another's blood on her hands. Her parents' deaths had been enough, her being the murderer, hearing Kakashi's voice inside her head the whole time, egging her on._

"_Sakura, please, you can't stay in here the whole seven years! You'll die." Naruto looked to the ground, almost as if he was going to say something else. Sakura headed him off though._

"_I am already dying! You have seen to that personally. I don't want you or anyone else coming over here to take me from my house. I will wait for him, just you wait." Sakura stared him down as he slowly rose to his feet, and even though he was taller, he quailed underneath it._

"_Coming to me when you're the one who turned us in; we were happy, couldn't you see that? Sasuke had left for power and I moved on. Did it disturb you that I was with Sensei…Kakashi? Did it bother you that much that you couldn't bear to see us happy? Kakashi might've been the one who started it, but I finished it after Kina had come into the picture. All of that, that was me. He was hesitating! He wanted to wait and I gave myself to him. I gave him the only true thing I have ever owned. I know I spent it wisely." _

Naruto didn't come back after that…it was probably another two months when he showed up on her property, demanding that the old Sakura come out of hiding and have fun. She had refused him then as well.

She walked into her shower, turning it on and lathering her shampoo (which she changed to Kakashi's for a longer lasting image of him) into her hands before applying it to her hair. She washed her body after rinsing the shampoo from her hair. She had her hair grow out and she made sure it was always kept clean and shiny. She closed her eyes and shook her head, remembering a time when her hair was short...

She wrapped the towel around her curvy form. Her physical features didn't do much in the past seven years. Her eyes became brighter and her pink hair became more defined as 'pink' than it had been when she was younger. She figured it was the shampoo. She had grown a couple of centimeters, but not a huge number. She was still going to be shorter than Kakashi; maybe she was just at his chin now. She walked out of her bathroom and into her room to throw on some clothes before training her ass off again.

She mentioned her becoming a Jounin to Kakashi. She would look at the tattoo affectionately, her tiny keepsake of him on her left arm. He said that he was proud of her; he said he was already proud of her no matter what she decided to be as a ninja. 'I could not love you any more than what I already do.' She laughed when she read that line, smiling deeply for what seemed like days when it was only hours.

He just had that affect on her. Like some drug, love was a high she was glad she had been apart of. She knew she was still Kakashi's 'little sakura blossom' despite the years that had passed. She put on a black tank top that fit her snugly. She noticed the tightness noting that she might have to take Ino and Hinata on another shopping trip. She looked into her vanity pleading that her stomach hadn't enlarged itself over the years.

She let out a sigh of relief. She realized that she had picked out one of her old shirts. She grinned back at her reflection. The tank looked good on her despite how it seemed to suffocate the one inside it. She laughed and pulled on some black shorts, these too were tight, but allowed swift movements from their owner. She looked at how toned her legs had gotten and she blushed at a reoccurring thought inside her mind. One of which involved calloused hands running along the inside curves.

She walked out of the house without breakfast and she saw Ino walking arm-n-arm with Shikamaru. Speaking of those two, they were engaged to marry at the end of June if a mission from either one didn't intervene. They had been on and off a lot lately, but finally the Nara boy got off his lazy ass and finally popped the question. She sighed, they had been allowed love and I was allowed to sit back and watch.

"Hey Ino, Shikamaru," she called from where she stood. Ino and Shikamaru looked up from each other and waved.

"Right back at you Sakura! Ready for your birthday, birthday girl?" Sakura chuckled softly at her friend's comment. It's not my birthday yet, but yes, I am. She had been anxious since the week before her birthday. March twenty-first was when he could come home, to her, but he didn't. Now every time there was a knock on the door, she primped herself before answering the door. When it wasn't whom she had hoped, she'd greet the guest with less enthusiasm than normal. She nodded softly and laughed.

"You should know, Ino," she whispered to herself as she passed her friends waving jovially to them. She sighed as she greeted her old apprentice, Shinta, her new apprentice, Koyo, and Shizune. All three welcomed her and she dropped into her office. She was working again the year after she had lost Kakashi. Tsunade had been kind enough to let her wallow in her misery. Misery always needs company though, and what better way to accompany misery than a large bottle of wine?

Tsunade, still hokage but looking for a replacement, just on the off chance she was assassinated. Sakura had found the idea comical though. Who the hell would want to mess with her? She'd kill you before you gave a sound reason as to _why_ you were there in the first place.

She massaged her temples sitting at her desk, another day's work…just another day. Then the tears seized her. Whatever it was that she had just thought caused her to begin crying. She gripped a pen, and threw it against the wall. It clattered to the floor.

"Sakura-san," Shinta's voice hesitantly floated through the room. Sakura swiped at her eyes and looked at her ex-apprentice.

"Yes, Shinta…what is it?" Sakura asked the twenty year-old. She watched the now woman fidget nervously, as if being inspected underneath a microscope.

"Shinta," Sakura pressed the woman further.

"Are you…I mean to say…how are you?" The woman looked uncomfortable as she toyed with her brown locks. Her gaze was fixed on the floor. "I-I don't mean to pry." Sakura shook her head.

"No, no, Shinta, you're fine. I'm…living." Sakura had to search for the correct term. She wasn't happy. She wasn't…fine. She was just there, doing her job, and following instructions. Seven years without him had been hard on her.

"Oh…okay, well Sakura, Tsunade-sama wished me to tell you that she needed you to visit someone." Sakura sat up so fast it startled Shinta, who jumped into the air at the intensity of the look she was being given.

"Who Shinta; who was it that Tsunade wanted me to visit?" Her anxiousness was noticeable if not tangible as she pressed the medical personnel for information.

"She didn't say, go see her." Sakura didn't need telling twice. She slid past Shinta and walked down the halls at a fast pace. She came into Tsunade's office, breathless and expecting.

"Sakura, I didn't expect you till later today. Anyway, sit down, sit down." Sakura shook her head.

"Tell me who it is that you wanted me to see," her voice was cracking as she spoke. Tsunade looked at her like she was crazy.

"Someone I wanted you to…oh, yes. Shinta told you, right?" Sakura nodded, impatient to get an answer.

"I need you to go and check up on Naruto," the effect was instantaneous. Sakura's impatience fled and she plopped down in one of the offered chairs.

"Don't be like that Sakura. You're better off without…" Tsunade trailed and Sakura took over. She remembered the disaster of how Neji tried to cheer her up.

"_Sakura," she looked around and saw Hyuuga Neji walking towards her. Nineteen years of age suited him, unlike the seventeenth year she was experiencing._

"_Hey Neji…what's going on?" She was trying to be friendly, but her front wasn't as good as it was when she had been almost a year younger._

"_You want a drink?" He asked her the simple question, and the truth was, she had been sober for a while, six months in the least, she accepted his proposal. After the heavy drinking splurge both went into, Sakura called it a night. Neji was all too happy to escort her back to her place. She fumbled with the key to get it in its lock. That's when the first thing happened that shouldn't have._

_Neji's lips connected with her neck's flesh._

_Obviously that sent her into a peal of giggles, being high-strung and set out to dry. She dragged him inside her house; the second happening that was but shouldn't have._

She almost swore off drinking after what had commenced. She nearly gave herself away to a man she thought only as Hinata's cousin and a good friend. No longer was that topic discussed and both rather wished they could quite forget about it. At least now the conversations that they had weren't as awkward as they once were.

"No, I have waited seven long, long years. I _will not_ be denied what I want." Sakura mentally added, and it's perfectly legal now for the two of us. "I'll go to Naruto, but why didn't Hinata just bring him here?" Tsunade laughed.

"No, Hinata brought him here and practically dropped him off. All the 'witnesses' heard was Hinata scolding Naruto, telling him he wasn't coming home until he was completely checked out. Something told me what Hinata had said to Naruto didn't register with him."

Sakura left the Godaime's office to enter the lobby. She saw just what the hokage had meant by 'didn't register'. Naruto was just prancing around looking like a complete idiot. She burst into laughter…it had been a long time since she had laughed and she stifled it instantly. Naruto looked around at her and leaped over to her like a ballerina.

"Naruto," she said raising her eyebrows at him. She watched his antics as he became more disorientated. She said his name firmly and he paused for a moment before jumping up and down like a rabbit. Sakura growled.

"Stop being stupid this instant Naruto; there is nothing wrong with you!" Sakura screamed at him, miffed at how light-hearted he was acting. She wasn't mad at him. No, she wished she could be like that. A tear rolled down her cheek. She was jealous of what Naruto had. She felt cold all of a sudden.

-----

She awoke on the floor, her viridian eyes blinking in the bright light. Naruto was still prancing about until someone brought him down by his neck and wrestled him to the floor. She looked around confused. Her head hurt terribly and she saw silver.

"Ka-kashi," she said brokenly, trying to sit up and locate the source of silver. The figure shook with laughter and shook its head.

"No, miss, I'm not Kakashi," the man spoke and it took her awhile to realize who it was.

"Jiraiya-san," she asked no one in particular. The figure nodded and she just laid there. Her eyes slid out of focus. Where was he? He was always late…but it was abnormal to prolong his lateness like this. She sat up shakily.

"Jiraiya-san, tell Tsunade I'm going home…I can't be here any longer," Sakura's voice cracked and she walked away from the medic building. She continued to stroll to her house; she felt her tears falling down her face.

She opened her door as soon as she reached it. She just remembered the letter she had from him. She slammed the door shut and ran into her room. She looked at the envelope.

_To: Haruno Sakura_

_438 Cherry Road, Village Hidden in the Leaves_

_From: Hatake Kakashi_

She hugged it to her chest before brutally ripping the seal off. She gingerly pulled the letter from its packaging and marveled at Kakashi's handwriting.

_My Love,_

_I'm sorry for the delay in my return. I'm anxious to get there, but I fret that I won't be able to make it back this week. I have to cross back over into our village and you know how long that takes. I hope to see you Tuesday at the latest._

_Kakashi_

Sakura stared. That's it, that's all he bothered to write? She flung the paper, but it didn't go far for its resistance. She fell on top of her bed, ignoring her starved stomach's growls in protest of no food. She wouldn't need it until he came back. He could feed her like no one else could.

She woke in the middle of the night, hunger suppressing everything else, including sleep. She rummaged around in her cupboards finding the chocolate and she broke out a wine bottle to 'celebrate' her birthday seeing as it was early the morning of.

She popped the cork from the bottle and poured a healthy portion of the drink inside a glass. The chocolate was heavy on her tongue, mixing perfectly-seamless in fact-with the strawberry wine.

Later that morning, Sakura found herself in a light doze at the kitchen's bar, head resting beside the wine bottle and chocolates. She sat up and to stave off the sleepiness of earlier that morning, she drained the bottle of its remaining contents. It was even true to say she held her liquor almost as good as Genma.

She stood firmly on her feet, all of her weight shifting into her feet as she shuffled to the door. It was shaking on its hinges due to the profound knocking. She didn't bother with her shoulder-length hair this time.

Ino had been the one knocking on her door with a hesitant Hinata standing adjacent to the fiancée of one of the laziest men in town. Sakura inwardly thought about how Naruto was fairing with the little one, Saski. Sakura had seen him in action; more damage could be done with a baby ninja than a baby with crayons. Her heart went out to Naruto, knowing him to already have made it home. He didn't look like he had a serious condition…it looked like euphoria or something in that ballpark that made him act like a raving lunatic.

Both of the girls dragged Sakura from her house, up the street, and into a tiny café parlor, Dana's Tea and Coffee, before Sakura had realized what had happened. By then it was too late to start a scene.

"I swear you look dead," Ino complained as all three began to order cappuccinos with vanilla ice cream. Sakura glared over her menu at Ino.

"If I was given forewarning about this, then I wouldn't look so dead," Sakura replied darkly.

"E-z…e-z…I'm being serious. Even with the make-up, you just look out of it."

"I'm sure the reason you're like this is because he's not here yet." Hinata piped in quickly. "Imagine Ino, losing Shikamaru because of some…rule," she waved her hand about to give the feel of a trivial matter. "I know I would probably go to extremes to get Saski and Naruto back if I was ever to be separated from either one of them." Sakura laughed bitterly.

"Don't wish it upon yourselves. You're lucky you were able to pursue your happiness as soon as you wished. I just wish he was back right now." When their orders arrived, none talked much, too immersed in their own minds to care what was going on around them. Over the seven years, Sakura had begun to remember more about what happened during those years between her fourth and eleventh birthdays.

_An ankle-length dress, spring green with pink blossoms bursting at the bottom, hung off her seven year-old body, adorning and complimenting her pink hair and green eyes. It even had white lace around the collar, hemming, and at the ends of the sleeves. She spun counter-clockwise around in it, the dress curling left with the gravity then to the right to settle against her form once again._

"_You are quite the young lady," she turned around, shocked but all the same, happy to see him in her doorway._

"_Kaka-kun," she cried, running into his arms. He squeezed her lightly, picking her up with enthusiasm that could've rivaled plenty of people._

"_What is my favorite girl doing in her best dress? I announce we're going out and you get dolled up just for me…I'm flattered." She blushed and when he sat her back down, her feet supporting her weight once again, her hands went directly for the fabric._

"_I uh…I just wanted…to…look…nice," she smiled. He laughed and played along with her._

"_You always look nice Sakura, even when you're with the most handsome man in all of Konoha!" He bragged on himself and she playfully shoved his arm._

"_You are not! Sasuke-kun is…but you're nicer than him." She smiled at him sweetly, innocently._

The look he had fixed her with was priceless. He was priceless. She heard Ino and Hinata talking, but she ignored the chat mostly until they breeched the subject that was her name.

"You never look well anymore, Sakura-chan." Hinata had spoken the truth, despite her appearance at the moment. Sakura hadn't taken the pleasure in looking healthy like she had when she was younger, and her distraught mood began to come on thick as the week wore on. If she could make this week and next week merge into today…she'd give up her birthday for eternity, just to be in his arms again.

"Un," she muttered, sipping the coffee with diligence. She felt a lump in her throat form…almost as if she was choking, bringing tears to her eyes.

"_Watch me Kaka-kun!" She cried happily as she daringly climbed the cherry blossom tree at five years old. She went to grab the branch just above the one she was on, but an unearthly cracking sound signaled that the bough she was standing on broke._

_She wailed in fright as she fell from the height of the tree. She braced herself for the impact of the ground, but it didn't come. She blinked away her tears and looked up to see Kakashi's young, masked face smiling back at her. She felt him hold her close to his frame and she cried her nervous tears on his sleeve._

_His hands made swirls on her back, soothing and making her sleepy. His fingers traced intricate patterns in constant motion along her covered flesh._

"_I wish you wouldn't cry, little Sakura. You shouldn't bring that rhyme 'rock-a-bye' to life." She giggled away whatever else she had felt._

She wiped her eyes on a napkin, watching without interest as to what her friends were now talking about. It must've been something about her because Hinata waved a hand in front of her face.

"I-uh-got to go pick up something for Shikamaru," Ino started offhandedly. "I won't be back until late…I'm sorry, Sakura." Sakura nodded and watched the blonde drop a couple of bills on the table before excusing herself from the building.

"I do too, Sakura, I'm sorry, but leaving Saski in Naruto's hands too long worries me. I have faith in Naruto…but I don't want to see my house in ruins. Neji said that he would come over and help out Naruto…but I think those two wouldn't be a good example for the baby." Sakura laughed affectionately.

"You're right, but which baby are you talking about?" It was Hinata's turn to laugh out. She smiled at Sakura before lying down her bills and departing from the café. Sakura sipped her cappuccino once again.

"I don't have a problem with it," she whispered and she threw down her money that she had been lucky enough to grab before totally relinquishing herself to Ino and Hinata. She removed herself from the coffee house and began down her road once again. It started to rain.

Her eyes downcast, she ran. Her hair clung to her face and her clothing seemed magnetized to her body. She opened the door quickly and entered, shuddering from the air conditioning that was still on. She stripped as she made her way to the bathroom.

She turned on the 'hot' knob, watching the shower jet begin to spurt the heated water. She stepped inside, grateful for the warmth that immediately washed over her.

She just sat there a while, letting her memories of his touch trickle over her skin, sending minute shivers through her body. She let herself become consumed by it as she lathered her hair on top of her head. Sakura began to sing softly inside the shower.

"_Trail away the skies and fantasies. Break apart all pieces of me. Just give me the keys; just give 'em to me._" She turned off the water and stepped outside the tub with a towel drying her body off. She imagined his hands running through her hair as she did this.

"_Show no emotion. Have no fear… Rise to the commotion as the end is near._" She walked inside her room, still carrying on with the tune she had started in the bathroom.

"_Hold me, until the light of morning. Let me see the man I know. Let me have the man I chose._" Her eyes were closed, shaking from the feeling of dread in her chest. The agony…the pain, she just wanted them all to leave her, make her as cold as she felt. She remembered the scare she had during the months she locked herself away. Itachi had paid a visit when she sang that song, and he didn't leave once he had entered.

"_That you shall have…" Her eyes flew open as she jumped at the husky voice in her ear, feeling warm arms embrace her middle. She squeaked in fright._

"_N-no…leave me alone!" She screamed trying to pull out of his grasp. He threw her to the ground. She felt so weak, though a jounin now, she felt entirely weak against him. Her eyes shut tightly, not wanting to see him. His lips crashed down on hers and she whimpered. He chuckled; causing her pain had been a specialty of his._

"_Shut up and be good, we didn't finish last time." She swallowed hard, not wanting what was coming to come. She kept her eyes shut from those eyes. Those eyes had been in her nightmares. Those eyes weren't comforting. Her breathing hitched painfully as she panicked._

_She felt her body being shifted from its position to something softer beneath her. She felt his lips press against hers, softer than she remembered. She didn't want it. She felt herself trembling under his touch._

Her eyes opened slowly, breaking the view of the vision from the past. She saw her room, empty as it should be. She sighed as she pulled on an outfit worthy of her 'big day'. A striking red halter top with a plunging neck-line even her Koyo would have difficulty not staring covered her top torso. She allowed herself to slip into the only piece of clothing Kakashi had bought her (that was acceptable for outer showcase); a black thigh-length skirt that flared out, flattering the curves she owned.

A knock on her door somehow filtered all the way to her room. She took one more adorning look in the mirror before leaving to go tot the front of the house. She combed her hair as she walked, hoping beyond hope that it wasn't too tangled. She set the brush on a stand beside the door before flipping her hair out behind her. Her hand just barely touched the knob when the door opened with a bang. She jumped back, clutching the hand that went to open the door to her chest, which was heaving in fright.

"Genma, don't do that!" She shouted at the shinobi in her doorway who was grinning like he'd won something wonderful. Her breathing was still labored from the fear that had coursed through her. She glared menacingly at the brown-haired man. He walked in despite that she hadn't invited him.

"What, I figured you needed some help today," he grinned like a fox. She got her breathing back to normal. She looked at him in confusion though.

"What are you talking about? I don't need help." He laughed at her. It had been a while since she had last seen Genma. He was the one to actually get her out of her house.

"Silly, you are in definite need of help." She looked at him more confused than ever.

"What are you going on about, Genma?" He took hold of her hand, not mentioning anything. He dragged her from her house, much like Ino and Hinata had earlier.

"Have Ino and Hinata…?"

"No, Sakura, its a little party I managed to get together. Practically everyone's going to be there, but yeah, they did set me up for this." She laughed light-heartedly, he was always crazy. She squirmed against the hand on her wrist, trying to pull from it. She was glad for his attempts, but she didn't feel like entertaining today. He stopped, surprising her and she followed suit, halting her trying to wrest the rest of her arm back. He turned to face her with a serious face, slightly broken by the senbon sticking out from between his white teeth.

"Look, I'm not doing this because I want to. I know how you feel about these things. I'm on your side here, but you have to come with. They _feed_ off your happiness. Somehow, I don't have the faintest idea, but they love your smiling face. Why do you think so many people were worried and fretful when you confined yourself inside your house, like some prisoner inside your own head? At least come for an hour at the smallest amount of time." Sakura stood there. What was there to say? And if there was something she was to say, what were the correct words for the statement?

"You mean you don't like my face?" She started laughing and he just looked at her. "I mean…I'll come, not for a long time. I'm really not in the partying mood." Genma smiled and leaned down to her ear.

"I could change that…but I don't want Kakashi down my throat for taking his woman." She blushed heavily and they continued their way in silence to the bar Sakura had gotten wasted at seven years ago.

"Sakura, you got here okay! Fork it over Shika," Naruto gestured at Shikamaru to hand over the cash. Sakura laughed bitterly.

"So happy that you were worried…why were they worried again?" Sakura looked over at her friends in confusion.

"Because we had Genma pull this thing together and get you," Ino replied quickly. "Oh, god, someone stop him before-damn…too late." Ino flinched, commentating what Genma was doing. Apparently, Anko was there.

"I thought that they were together…" Sakura said in wonderment when she turned look at a dripping wet Genma, who sidled back over to them smelling like vodka. He shrugged his shoulders.

"You win some and you lose some."

"Genma, that's a battle you'll always lose," Naruto said, clapping him on his back.

"You're right Naruto," Genma said replicating the blonde's actions. "I should just go over to those chuunin over there and introduce myself. You know…I think they'll break my latest record." Ino laughed and Hinata shook her head as the brown-headed jounin strode off into the crowd of people.

"Saski is with whom tonight," Sakura asked looking at the married couple.

"Neji and Tenten's agreed to help him." Hinata said fondly.

"Yeah and Lee's going to pop in after a while being here and give Neji and Tenten a break from the little rascal. He's a damn handful." Hinata glared at Naruto. "But we love him of course, jeez, don't look at me like that Hinata." Sakura and Ino looked at each other knowingly.

Drinks were ordered and the five of them drank calmly and held serene conversations as the first hour began to come to a close. Genma hadn't shown back up, but Sakura didn't worry. He was always with some woman or women. Never be the one to be tied down; that was his motto.

Even with the drinks though, Sakura wasn't in the entertaining mood still. She just wanted to go to bed. Her eyelids were even echoing that wish.

"Guys…I know you all made this for me, but I-I really just want to go back to the house. Thanks for everything," she sat her drink on the bar and was about to walk away.

"You want us to bring the gifts over tomorrow?" She smiled morosely and nodded before turning back to the door to exit. She sighed, it was still light out and she was feeling something just take hold on her. She closed her eyes for a second and continued her way back to her place.

She fumbled the key and unlocked the door, stepping inside with little effort. She shrugged her shoulders, and half lidded eyes took in the house, with the faint frown pulling her lips down.

She continued to walk softly, ghost-like even, down her halls. She heard something creak, but she barely looked up from her current pondering. So long, she thought desperately. She shook her head. Then a heavier sound from behind her pulled her from her trance. Her head shot up from looking at the ground and turned to look over her shoulder.

She dropped to her knees. The long awaited tears of relief washed over her as she cried happily face down on the floor. She felt a hand brush back the pink stands in front of her face behind her ear affectionately. For the first time in a long time, she was glad he lied.

She sat on her legs, looking at him, trying to analyze the person in front of her, disbelieving him to be there. She smiled through her tears at him and simultaneously both embraced each other in an over-due hug. His mask was even off, and she felt the coolness of his cheek against hers.

"I've missed you so," she cried as she gripped onto him for dear life. It was a good feeling, knowing you had someone there for you.

"I'm here now, Sakura, I'm here now." She pulled away from him, to look him in the eye. In one split-second she was gently guided towards him, and as his lips crushed hers tenderly, and as she felt herself being lifted into his strong arms and brought into her room, she knew she didn't need another thing if the world was to end at that moment. Perhaps, she'd have even liked it to have ended while she was at peace with the man she loved.

Later, after hours of sweet-nothings and devilish kisses (and great love-making), she laid her head on her his bare chest. Her left arm was tucked underneath his neck, with that hand on his shoulder, while her right hand and his left laced themselves together as both waited for their labored breathing to become normal once more.

"Kakashi," she whispered, sleep gaining the best of her as she yawned. A noise emitted from him, indicating she had his full and undivided attention. "I love you." His right hand squeezed her hip and pulled her tighter against him. She had finally labeled the feeling she was uncertain about for a long time, and she was glad she could say it.

"I love you too."

* * *

A/N: A happy ending...aww...Hope it wasn't too hard to follow. It's been real people! 


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